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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mine — for digging
  3. sharp — clever
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. key — for a lock
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rash — a series
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rash — hasty
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. suit — to fit
  21. key — in music
  22. wake — a trail
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rash — on the skin

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