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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 was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. cue — a hint
  3. chip — to eat
  4. cue — a signal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. plane — a tool
  9. chip — for betting
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. craft — boats
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bank — of a river
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. cue — for pool

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