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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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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: capital · nail · lie · perch · vault · stick · pass · court

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. court — for sport
  5. capital — money
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. capital — a city
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — of law
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. perch — the fish
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pass — a permit
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. perch — for a bird

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