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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 120 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pound — a weight
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. race — the arms race
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a line
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. vault — a safe
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — humankind
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. ruler — for measuring

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