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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. dip — to sink
  3. vault — a safe
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bat — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. season — in sport
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lie — to recline
  14. season — of the year
  15. stock — goods
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. stock — shares
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bat — for baseball

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