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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. vault — a safe
  5. mate — a partner
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. ball — a great time
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. capital — money
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. firm — a company
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. firm — steady
  20. ball — a dance
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. capital — a city
  24. firm — decided

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