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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 116 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bank — for money
  6. craft — a skill
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. snap — to click
  10. vault — a safe
  11. craft — boats
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. ground — a position
  14. bank — for money
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bank — of a river
  17. ground — crushed
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ground — the earth
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. straw — dry grass

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