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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. lie — to recline
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. court — of law
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. court — of a king
  9. can — a tin
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wind — moving air
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rock — music
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wind — moving air
  16. chair — a leader
  17. can — a tin
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rock — a stone
  22. mine — for digging
  23. can — to be able to
  24. court — for sport

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