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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. track — to keep track
  13. vault — a safe
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rash — hasty
  16. track — a path
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. lie — to recline
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rash — a series
  22. track — a song
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. jam — a tight spot

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