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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lean — thin
  3. file — a document
  4. face — to confront
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. face — part of the head
  7. lean — to bend
  8. file — a tool
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. charge — a price
  11. face — to point toward
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. charge — in control
  17. file — a line of people
  18. charge — electricity
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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