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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. cell — in biology
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. pit — a hole
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bat — the animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cell — a phone
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bulb — for light
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pit — in a race

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