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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. vault — a safe
  4. lie — to recline
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. key — in music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mine — for digging
  18. season — of the year
  19. key — for a lock
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. stock — shares
  24. dip — to sink

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