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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. row — to paddle
  12. wax — to grow
  13. squash — to crush
  14. key — in music
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. lie — to recline
  19. vault — a safe
  20. ball — a great time
  21. key — for a lock
  22. row — a line
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bowl — a dish

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