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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.

Make a worksheet

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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468
Word bank
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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. object — a thing
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. lie — to recline
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cold — not warm
  12. bear — the animal
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. root — the cause
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. root — of a plant
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. cold — an illness
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. root — of a word

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