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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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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: row · pitcher · vault · fine · hide · root · snap · lie

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. row — to paddle
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. root — of a plant
  8. snap — to click
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. root — of a word
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. vault — a safe
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. root — the cause
  17. lie — to recline
  18. row — a line
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. fine — high quality
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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