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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. can — a tin
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. rest — what's left
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rest — a break
  7. file — a line of people
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rest — what's left
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. can — to be able to
  14. file — a document
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. can — a tin
  17. mark — a grade
  18. file — a tool
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. lie — to recline
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. mark — a trace
  24. lie — an untruth

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