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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.

Make a worksheet

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: present · vault · pitcher · rush · staff · root · hide · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. present — there
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. root — of a word
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. present — the time now
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lie — to recline
  12. present — a gift
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rush — hurry
  19. staff — employees
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. root — of a plant
  22. vault — a safe
  23. root — the cause
  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