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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.

Make a worksheet

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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. vault — a safe
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — thin
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wound — an injury
  10. dip — to sink
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. fork — in a road
  16. lean — to bend
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. wound — past of 'wind'

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