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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mate — a partner
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. object — an aim
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. face — to point toward
  9. mate — to breed
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rest — what's left
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mate — a friend
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. face — part of the head
  19. rest — a break
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — a thing
  23. face — to confront
  24. fork — in a road

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