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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. march — the month
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. saw — the tool
  7. march — the month
  8. pound — a weight
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fine — all right
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. fine — high quality
  23. march — music
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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