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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. saw — the tool
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lie — to recline
  5. scale — in music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. row — to paddle
  9. suit — in cards
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. present — there
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. scale — size or range
  14. row — a line
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. saw — the tool
  18. prune — to trim
  19. suit — clothes
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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