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

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. spring — of water
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. rush — hurry
  9. kick — in football
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. spring — a coil
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. vault — a safe
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. craft — a skill
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. spring — the season
  24. craft — boats

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