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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. rash — hasty
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. file — a document
  10. lie — to recline
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. file — a tool
  13. deal — to handle
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rash — a series
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to click
  22. file — a line of people
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. deal — an agreement

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