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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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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: prune · vault · bass · suit · face · track · rock · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bass — low music
  3. suit — to fit
  4. rock — music
  5. face — part of the head
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. lie — to recline
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bass — the fish
  12. face — to point toward
  13. suit — clothes
  14. track — a song
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. face — to confront
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. track — to keep track
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. track — a path
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. suit — in cards

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