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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bore · vault · capital · hide · bear · bulb · mug · racket

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mug — a face
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. capital — money
  16. vault — a safe
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bear — the animal
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bore — to drill
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. capital — a city

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