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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bore · lie · hand · wake · vault · mate · prune · press

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mate — a partner
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mate — a friend
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mate — to breed
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. vault — a safe
  12. hand — in cards
  13. lie — to recline
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. hand — help
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. press — to push
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. prune — to trim

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