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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 120 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 · rush · saw · squash · staff · dip · lie · bear

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. lie — to recline
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rush — hurry
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. staff — employees
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bear — the animal
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. saw — the tool
  14. dip — to sink
  15. staff — employees
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bear — the animal
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. vault — a safe
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  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