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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: fall · mouse · sharp · lie · club · vault · wave · prune

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for golf
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. club — for dancing
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fall — the season
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. fall — to drop
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. lie — to recline
  17. sharp — clever
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — a safe

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