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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. spring — a coil
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. pitch — completely
  12. spring — the season
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. wind — moving air
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. vault — a safe
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. spring — of water
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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