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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. last — to go on
  3. bound — tied together
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fall — to drop
  6. last — finally
  7. bass — low music
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bound — obliged
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fall — to drop
  17. last — final
  18. bound — certain
  19. bass — the fish
  20. press — to push
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fall — the season

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