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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: roll · mouse · vault · lie · lash · fine · drill · mate

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. fine — all right
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fine — high quality
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. vault — a safe
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. roll — a list
  15. drill — army training
  16. mate — a partner
  17. drill — a practice
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. drill — the tool

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