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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mine — for digging
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bass — the fish
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. root — the cause
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. vault — a safe
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. lie — to recline
  15. staff — employees
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. root — of a word
  20. bass — low music
  21. staff — a stick
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. root — of a plant
  24. mine — an explosive

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