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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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. vault — a safe
  5. suit — in cards
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. degree — temperature
  9. degree — from a university
  10. saw — the tool
  11. degree — an amount
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lie — to recline
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. snap — to click
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pound — a weight
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. suit — to fit

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