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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. vault — a safe
  4. charge — in control
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. lie — to recline
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mine — for digging
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. key — in music
  16. fall — to drop
  17. cold — an illness
  18. charge — a price
  19. key — for a lock
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. cold — not warm
  23. key — the most important part
  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