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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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Word bank
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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: saw · fine · tear · leaves · hide · vault · wound · object

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. object — a thing
  10. tear — from crying
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. fine — high quality
  14. object — to protest
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. object — an aim
  19. wound — an injury
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. fine — all right

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