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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. shower — rain
  6. face — part of the head
  7. mate — a friend
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — happy
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — to confront
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. shower — to wash
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. mate — a partner
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mate — to breed

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