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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: lie · fine · rush · lean · vault · roll · wound · band

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. fine — all right
  3. roll — a list
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wound — an injury
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. fine — high quality
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. lean — to bend
  14. band — a music group
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. roll — a cake
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. band — a ring
  23. lean — thin
  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