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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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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: clip · kick · deal · mark · vault · bulb · pit · hide

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bulb — for light
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. clip — to cut
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pit — in a race
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. kick — in football
  14. clip — a video
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pit — a hole
  18. clip — for paper
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mark — a grade
  24. vault — a safe

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