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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. race — a contest
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. race — the arms race
  7. cap — of ice
  8. track — a song
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. track — a path
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. race — humankind
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. track — to keep track
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. content — happy
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. content — the amount

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