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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bore — to tire
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stock — goods
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stock — shares
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. perch — the fish
  18. prune — to trim
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. nail — on a finger

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