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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 116 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: lie · tube · present · ruler · vault · firm · coach · kick

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. tube — the underground
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. firm — steady
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. present — there
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. present — a gift
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. firm — a company
  14. tube — a container
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. present — the time now
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. firm — decided
  22. kick — in football
  23. lie — to recline
  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