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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ground — crushed
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. vault — a safe
  5. stand — to bear
  6. root — of a plant
  7. tear — from crying
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. root — of a word
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. tear — from crying
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. tear — to rip
  15. staff — a stick
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. staff — employees
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. ground — the earth
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. root — the cause
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. ground — a position

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