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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cap — of ice
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. roll — a cake
  13. cap — a lid
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. cap — a hat
  16. vault — a safe
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. kick — in football
  19. rest — a break
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. rest — what's left
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. roll — a list
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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