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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. object — an aim
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. kid — child
  5. bass — low music
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. kid — to tease
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. vault — a safe
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. object — a thing
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. object — to protest
  21. fork — in a road
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fork — to eat with

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