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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. lie — to recline
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. cap — a lid
  5. vault — a safe
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bank — for money
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pitch — completely
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bank — for money
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — of the year
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. mine — an explosive

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