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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. ground — a position
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. vault — a safe
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. swing — in golf
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ground — the earth
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bear — the animal
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. swing — music
  22. cap — of ice
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bear — the animal

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