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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bat — the animal
  11. can — to be able to
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bound — certain
  14. season — in sport
  15. sharp — clever
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. lie — to recline
  18. season — of the year
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. can — a tin

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