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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. ground — crushed
  5. file — a document
  6. lean — to bend
  7. rash — a series
  8. file — a tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. ground — a position
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pit — in a race
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bank — of a river
  18. ground — the earth
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bank — for money
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. pit — a hole

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