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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 120 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
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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: dip · row · leaves · land · mark · vault · bear · sharp

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. row — to paddle
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. row — a line
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. vault — a safe
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. land — a country
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bear — the animal
  17. dip — to sink
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mark — a trace
  20. land — to come down
  21. bear — the animal
  22. land — ground
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. mark — a grade

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