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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. last — finally
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. sharp — clever
  19. last — to go on
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. last — final
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. chair — a professorship

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