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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: vault · date · dip · chest · march · suit · lie · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. march — music
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. march — the month
  7. chest — of your body
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. chest — of your body
  10. deal — to handle
  11. lie — to recline
  12. march — the month
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. date — the fruit
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. chest — a box
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. suit — clothes
  24. dip — to sink

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