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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. kid — to tease
  3. lie — to recline
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. roll — a list
  7. object — a thing
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. object — an aim
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — letters
  12. key — for a lock
  13. roll — a cake
  14. key — in music
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. object — to protest
  17. vault — a safe
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. kid — child
  21. spell — a short time
  22. key — the most important part
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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