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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · lie · trunk · wind · vault · bowl

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wind — moving air
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. lie — to recline
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. wind — moving air
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. vault — a safe

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