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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: spring · lie · wake · leaves · chest · bulb · bowl · vault

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bulb — for light
  4. vault — a safe
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. chest — a box
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. spring — the season
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. spring — of water
  18. chest — of your body
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. chest — of your body

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