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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. vault — a safe
  6. rash — hasty
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rest — a break
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. cell — a phone
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. cell — in biology
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bark — to shout
  20. rest — what's left
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rest — what's left

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