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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. wake — a trail
  3. charge — electricity
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. fine — all right
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. lie — to recline
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. charge — in control
  17. fine — high quality
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. charge — a price

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