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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. swing — to play on
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. vault — a safe
  10. swing — music
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. hand — help
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rule — a law
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. face — to confront
  17. swing — in golf
  18. hand — in cards
  19. face — to point toward
  20. rule — government
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. face — part of the head
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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