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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. vault — a safe
  4. file — a line of people
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. prune — to trim
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pit — a hole
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. prune — to trim
  13. shower — to wash
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. sharp — clever
  16. file — a document
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. file — a tool
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. board — a committee
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. board — to get on

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