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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: kick · wound · bound · sharp · lie · bowl · vault · plane

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bound — obliged
  4. wound — an injury
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. plane — a tool
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. kick — in football
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. lie — to recline
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. plane — an aircraft

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