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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bear — the animal
  4. file — a tool
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. club — a group
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. file — a line of people
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. club — for golf
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. file — a document
  18. snap — to click
  19. club — for dancing
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bear — the animal

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