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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fork — in a road
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. date — the fruit
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. track — a path
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. vault — a safe
  12. chest — of your body
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. track — a song
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chest — of your body
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. track — to keep track
  24. sharp — clever

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