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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.

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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. shower — rain
  3. bore — to drill
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mate — a partner
  7. shower — to wash
  8. mate — to breed
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bore — to tire
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. hand — in cards
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hand — help
  22. bank — for money
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bank — for money

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