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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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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 · saw · rash · deal · vault · cap · board · race

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. cap — a hat
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cap — of ice
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rash — hasty
  10. race — a contest
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cap — a lid
  13. race — the arms race
  14. lie — to recline
  15. saw — the tool
  16. deal — to handle
  17. vault — a safe
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. race — humankind
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a committee
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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