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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · tear · dip · vault · drill · hide

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. tear — from crying
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. drill — the tool
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. drill — army training
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — to rip
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. vault — a safe
  14. drill — a practice
  15. pass — a permit
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to sink

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