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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. bat — the animal
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bank — for money
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — a safe
  13. snap — to click
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. fine — all right
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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