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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. fall — to drop
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rule — a law
  6. fall — to drop
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bear — the animal
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. dip — to sink
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fall — the season
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. rule — government
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. shower — rain

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