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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. last — finally
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. last — to go on
  8. cap — a lid
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — a short time
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pound — a weight
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. cap — a hat
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. last — final
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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