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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rest — a break
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. last — to go on
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rest — what's left
  10. staff — employees
  11. tear — from crying
  12. snap — to click
  13. staff — employees
  14. tear — from crying
  15. vault — a safe
  16. land — a country
  17. tear — to rip
  18. last — final
  19. staff — a stick
  20. rest — what's left
  21. lie — to recline
  22. land — to come down
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. last — finally

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