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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pop — music
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — to visit
  7. date — the fruit
  8. bound — certain
  9. capital — money
  10. lie — to recline
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — tied together
  16. capital — a city
  17. stand — to bear
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stand — on your feet

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