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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pitch — completely
  3. kick — in football
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bore — to drill
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. craft — boats
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. craft — a skill
  17. face — to confront
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. face — to point toward
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. bore — to tire
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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