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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: jam · cap · perch · vault · plane · lie · mouse · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. vault — a safe
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cap — of ice
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cap — a lid
  9. lie — to recline
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. perch — the fish
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. cap — a hat
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mouse — for a computer

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