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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: rush · vault · staff · current · face · court · season · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. current — happening now
  3. season — of the year
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. current — of water
  6. court — for sport
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. vault — a safe
  10. staff — a stick
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. face — to point toward
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. rush — hurry
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. court — of a king
  19. face — to confront
  20. season — in sport
  21. court — of law
  22. current — electric
  23. face — part of the head
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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