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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. last — final
  6. bear — the animal
  7. last — finally
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. field — a subject
  10. last — to go on
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bear — the animal
  13. field — farmland
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. field — for sport
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — government
  24. vault — a safe

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