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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 120 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. mug — to rob
  4. vault — a safe
  5. mug — a cup
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pop — to visit
  8. fall — the season
  9. swing — music
  10. rule — government
  11. face — to confront
  12. rule — a law
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. swing — in golf
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mug — a face
  19. lie — to recline
  20. face — to point toward
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. fall — to drop

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