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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. field — a subject
  4. cell — a phone
  5. lie — to recline
  6. shower — to wash
  7. field — for sport
  8. suit — clothes
  9. vault — a safe
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. cell — in biology
  15. pass — a permit
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. field — farmland
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lean — thin
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. lean — to bend

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