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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: hand · bound · spring · pitcher · leaves · lie · pit · vault

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. spring — a coil
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. pit — a hole
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. lie — to recline
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. hand — in cards
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bound — certain
  15. spring — of water
  16. bound — tied together
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. spring — the season
  20. hand — help
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bound — obliged
  24. leaves — lets stay

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