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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bore — to tire
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bore — to drill
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. root — of a word
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. root — the cause
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. root — of a plant
  16. wax — to grow
  17. dip — to sink
  18. lean — thin
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. swing — music
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. wax — in the ear

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