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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 120 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. row — a line
  4. mate — to breed
  5. track — a path
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. track — to keep track
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. track — a song
  12. mate — a friend
  13. lie — to recline
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. vault — a safe
  21. row — to paddle
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. lie — an untruth

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