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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. last — finally
  3. field — for sport
  4. squash — the sport
  5. lie — to recline
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — a group
  8. squash — to crush
  9. last — final
  10. club — for golf
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. field — a subject
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. last — to go on
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. present — a gift
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. field — farmland
  22. vault — a safe
  23. present — there
  24. present — the time now

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