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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
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: stock · temple · vault · rush · bore · hide · tear · dip

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. dip — to sink
  5. tear — to rip
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stock — goods
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bore — to drill
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. tear — from crying
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stock — shares
  20. tear — from crying
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rush — hurry

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