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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. vault — a safe
  3. can — to be able to
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. swing — music
  11. staff — a stick
  12. swing — in golf
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. swing — to play on
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pit — in a race
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. can — a tin
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pit — a hole
  24. can — a tin

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