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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. vault — a safe
  5. pitch — completely
  6. rule — a law
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — thin
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rule — government
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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