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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cap — a hat
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. content — happy
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. rush — hurry
  14. cap — of ice
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. rock — a stone
  17. lie — to recline
  18. vault — a safe
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. content — the amount
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. straw — a straw man

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