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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lie — to recline
  7. fork — in a road
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. march — the month
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. season — in sport
  13. march — music
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wax — to grow
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. march — the month
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. season — of the year
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. vault — a safe

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