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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — for catching
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bulb — for light
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. lie — to recline
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bark — to shout
  13. vault — a safe
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. spell — magic
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. spell — a short time
  19. net — after costs
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. spell — letters

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