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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: rush · jam · nail · fall · lean · date · lie · vault

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lean — thin
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fall — to drop
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. date — the fruit
  14. vault — a safe
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rush — hurry
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. lean — to bend
  24. date — on the calendar

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