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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. swing — to play on
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. board — to get on
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lie — to recline
  10. suit — to fit
  11. snap — to click
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. spring — the season
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — music
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. spring — of water
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. spring — a coil
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. board — a committee
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. suit — in cards

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