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

Word bank: nail · content · pass · lie · vault · perch

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. lie — to recline
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pass — a permit
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. perch — the fish
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. content — happy
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. vault — in gymnastics

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