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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. lie — to recline
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. march — the month
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. pop — to visit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pop — soda
  13. prune — to trim
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. march — the month
  17. march — music
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. roll — a list
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pop — music
  22. perch — the fish
  23. roll — a cake
  24. prune — to trim

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