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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bound — certain
  3. lie — to recline
  4. court — for sport
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. court — of a king
  7. chip — to eat
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — in music
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bound — tied together
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. court — of law
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. key — for a lock
  16. vault — a safe
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. object — an aim
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. object — to protest
  23. wind — moving air
  24. object — a thing

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