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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 124 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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. object — to protest
  3. vault — a safe
  4. plane — a tool
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. face — to confront
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. ball — a great time
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. mine — for digging
  15. object — a thing
  16. lie — to recline
  17. object — an aim
  18. face — to point toward
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. stem — to come from
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. face — part of the head

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