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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. tube — the underground
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. shower — to wash
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. track — a path
  12. vault — a safe
  13. shower — rain
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. present — there
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. tube — a container
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. track — to keep track
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. fork — in a road
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. track — a song

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