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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. spring — of water
  4. net — for catching
  5. spring — the season
  6. track — a song
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — a container
  14. net — after costs
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a path
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. net — in sport
  21. spring — a coil
  22. lie — to recline
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. rush — to hurry

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