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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bore — to tire
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. vault — a safe
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mark — a trace
  14. field — for sport
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. field — farmland
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mug — a face
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. field — a subject
  23. bore — to drill
  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