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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rush — hurry
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. lie — to recline
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stand — to bear
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. vault — a safe
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. wound — an injury
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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