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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: saw · vault · bark · nail · lie · last · face · hide

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bark — to shout
  3. face — to point toward
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. last — to go on
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. saw — the tool
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. face — part of the head
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. last — finally
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. saw — the tool
  21. face — to confront
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. last — final

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