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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: jam · tube · wind · vault · mark · hide · foot · lean

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. wind — moving air
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. vault — a safe
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. tube — a container
  16. mark — a trace
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. foot — a measure
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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