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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: band · racket · vault · hand · dip · bay · jam · hide

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. hand — in cards
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hand — help
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. band — a ring
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. dip — to sink
  19. band — a music group
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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