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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. board — to get on
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lean — thin
  19. suit — in cards
  20. board — a committee
  21. lean — to bend
  22. pitch — completely
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. prune — the fruit

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