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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 116 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. suit — to fit
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bank — of a river
  10. file — a tool
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. suit — clothes
  17. vault — a safe
  18. file — a document
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. file — a line of people

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