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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 116 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. object — to protest
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. object — an aim
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. lie — to recline
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. kick — in football
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. vault — a safe
  14. fork — in a road
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. object — a thing
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stand — to bear
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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