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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. snap — to click
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. stem — to come from
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pitch — completely
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. vault — a safe
  22. lie — to recline
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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