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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: vault · sharp · pass · plane · hand · racket · lie · coach

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. pass — a permit
  6. sharp — clever
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. plane — a tool
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. vault — a safe
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. hand — in cards
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. hand — help
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. lie — to recline
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. sharp — with an edge

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