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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pop — soda
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. lie — to recline
  7. chair — a leader
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. key — for a lock
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. key — the most important part
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. pop — to visit
  19. key — in music
  20. pop — music
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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