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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bass — the fish
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. vault — a safe
  13. snap — to click
  14. court — of law
  15. court — for sport
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bass — low music
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bark — to shout
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. court — of a king

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