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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: roll · lie · racket · vault · bore · stick · bat · temple

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. roll — a list
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bat — the animal
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. roll — a cake
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — to drill
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. racket — for tennis

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