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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: lie · nail · plane · cabinet · hand · vault · race · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. race — humankind
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. hand — in cards
  9. race — the arms race
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. plane — a tool
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. race — a contest
  20. hand — help
  21. lie — to recline
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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