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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. present — the time now
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. present — there
  6. row — a line
  7. present — a gift
  8. craft — boats
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. press — a publisher
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bear — the animal
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — to push
  20. bear — the animal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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