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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: mark · net · hide · bark · vault · key · wax · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. net — for catching
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. net — in sport
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. mark — a grade
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. key — in music
  16. net — after costs
  17. wax — to grow
  18. key — for a lock
  19. lie — to recline
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. mark — a trace

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