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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. board — to get on
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. file — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cold — an illness
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. plane — a tool
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. file — a document
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. board — a committee
  18. file — a line of people
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cold — not warm
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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