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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — a safe
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stem — to come from
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. swing — in golf
  9. fine — high quality
  10. current — electric
  11. march — the month
  12. swing — music
  13. fine — all right
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. current — happening now
  17. rash — a series
  18. march — the month
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. swing — to play on
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. current — of water
  24. march — music

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