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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: vault · ruler · ball · lie · sharp · ground · date · fall

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. vault — a safe
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. date — the fruit
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ground — a position
  12. fall — the season
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fall — to drop
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ball — a great time
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ground — crushed
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. lie — an untruth

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