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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
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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 · bore · clip · lie · ball · swing · mark · suit

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. vault — a safe
  6. suit — clothes
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. clip — for paper
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. clip — to cut
  18. clip — a video
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mark — a trace
  22. ball — a great time
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. swing — in golf

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