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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. band — a music group
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. spell — magic
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. spell — a short time
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. band — a ring
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. craft — boats
  17. spell — letters
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. vault — a safe
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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