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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stock · face · wound · dip · swing · bulb · lie · vault

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bulb — for light
  3. face — to confront
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bulb — for light
  6. swing — music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. face — part of the head
  11. stock — goods
  12. wound — an injury
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. stock — shares
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. vault — a safe
  20. face — to point toward
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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