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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 124 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hand — help
  8. face — part of the head
  9. vault — a safe
  10. spell — a short time
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. spell — letters
  13. hand — in cards
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. face — to confront
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — for catching
  22. face — to point toward
  23. net — in sport
  24. spell — magic

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