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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: wind · present · pitcher · cabinet · lie · current · vault · bowl

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. present — there
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. present — a gift
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. current — electric
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. wind — moving air
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. current — happening now
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. wind — moving air
  22. current — of water
  23. present — the time now
  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