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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rash — a series
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bear — the animal
  6. kid — to tease
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. scale — size or range
  10. kid — child
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. scale — in music
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mark — a trace
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bear — the animal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mark — a grade
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rush — hurry

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