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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.

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: vault · season · roll · dip · capital · hide · cabinet · bark

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. capital — money
  3. roll — a list
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. season — in sport
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bark — to shout
  9. capital — a city
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. vault — a safe
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. roll — a cake
  24. season — of the year

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