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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. fine — all right
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. land — to come down
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. land — a country
  20. land — ground
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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