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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. net — in sport
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. net — for catching
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. snap — to click
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pop — music
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. season — of the year
  13. vault — a safe
  14. pop — soda
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. tube — the underground
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. lie — to recline
  19. sharp — clever
  20. tube — a container
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pop — to visit
  23. net — after costs
  24. season — in sport

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