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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.

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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. vault — a safe
  4. plane — a tool
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rush — hurry
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rule — government
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. board — a committee
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. board — to get on
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rule — a law

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