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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: vault · nail · pit · can · rash · lash · lie · court

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. court — of law
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. can — a tin
  10. pit — in a race
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. rash — a series
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rash — hasty
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. vault — a safe
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pit — a hole
  24. can — a tin

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