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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 116 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: mine · leaves · hide · bear · nail · vault · kid · sharp

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. sharp — clever
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. kid — child
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bear — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. kid — to tease
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mine — for digging

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