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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mine — for digging
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. rule — government
  9. key — for a lock
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. key — in music
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — a law
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. row — a line

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