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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mark — a trace
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. cue — a hint
  7. ball — a dance
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. vault — a safe
  20. ball — a great time
  21. cue — a signal
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mark — a grade
  24. wake — a trail

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