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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: coach · key · row · pit · fall · deal · vault · lie

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. row — to paddle
  5. fall — the season
  6. vault — a safe
  7. key — for a lock
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. row — a line
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — in a race
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fall — to drop
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. key — in music
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — to handle

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