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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bat — the animal
  4. face — to confront
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pop — music
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. pop — to visit
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pop — soda
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rush — hurry

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