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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.

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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: hide · vault · perch · deal · rest · object · mouse · foot

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. object — a thing
  4. rest — what's left
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. object — to protest
  8. rest — what's left
  9. object — an aim
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. perch — the fish
  18. vault — a safe
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. mouse — the animal

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