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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. kid — to tease
  8. wax — to grow
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. kid — child

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