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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: hide · vault · fine · land · rest · rush · bear · calf

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rest — a break
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bear — the animal
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rush — hurry
  13. fine — high quality
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. land — to come down
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. land — ground
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. land — a country
  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