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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. court — of a king
  3. clip — to cut
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. clip — for paper
  8. clip — a video
  9. roll — a cake
  10. charge — a price
  11. court — of law
  12. roll — a list
  13. pass — a permit
  14. charge — electricity
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. court — for sport
  20. charge — in control
  21. lie — to recline
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. safe — out of danger

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