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

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. vault — a safe
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. fine — high quality
  10. chest — of your body
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rule — a law
  13. chest — of your body
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. fine — all right
  18. chest — a box
  19. sharp — clever
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — in music
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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