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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. snap — to click
  4. mark — a grade
  5. vault — a safe
  6. land — to come down
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. charge — a price
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wake — a trail
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. land — a country
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. land — ground
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. plane — a tool
  20. charge — electricity
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. charge — in control

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