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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lie · pop · vault · suit · bat · prune · straw · mark

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pop — to visit
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. pop — music
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. suit — to fit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. lie — to recline
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bat — the animal
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. suit — in cards
  24. lie — an untruth

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