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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bank — for money
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bank — for money
  8. game — a match
  9. sharp — clever
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. vault — a safe
  16. game — wild animals
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pass — a permit
  21. plane — a tool
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. cabinet — ministers

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