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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lean — thin
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. lean — to bend
  6. craft — boats
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pop — soda
  13. date — the fruit
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pop — music
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bass — low music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. craft — a handicraft

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