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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. tear — to rip
  5. lie — to recline
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. season — of the year
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. track — to keep track
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. mark — a grade
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. mark — a trace
  18. track — a path
  19. vault — a safe
  20. track — a song
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. season — in sport

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