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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.

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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 · season · fan · track · object · bulb · vault · mate

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. vault — a safe
  4. track — a path
  5. track — a song
  6. object — to protest
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — of the year
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. object — an aim
  16. track — to keep track
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mate — a partner
  23. object — a thing
  24. mate — a friend

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