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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. suit — in cards
  3. season — of the year
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. pop — music
  9. season — in sport
  10. pop — soda
  11. last — finally
  12. vault — a safe
  13. suit — to fit
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. last — to go on
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pop — to visit
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. suit — clothes
  24. last — final

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