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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.

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: vault · pitcher · cabinet · bear · hide · fan · march · staff

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. march — the month
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. staff — employees
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. march — music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. staff — a stick
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. vault — a safe
  23. staff — employees
  24. march — the month

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