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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bear — the animal
  4. net — after costs
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. face — to confront
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rash — hasty
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. rash — a series
  14. face — to point toward
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bear — the animal
  17. net — in sport
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mine — for digging
  21. net — for catching
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mine — belonging to me

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