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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bear — the animal
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rush — hurry
  11. vault — a safe
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pound — a weight
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bear — the animal

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