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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. fine — all right
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. vault — a safe
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. fine — high quality
  11. net — after costs
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. net — in sport
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. net — for catching
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. sharp — clever
  24. lie — an untruth

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