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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. ball — a great time
  9. kid — to tease
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. kid — child
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. swing — music
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. swing — to play on
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. swing — in golf
  20. vault — a safe
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wind — moving air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com