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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. swing — in golf
  3. game — a match
  4. fine — high quality
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. swing — to play on
  7. fine — all right
  8. vault — a safe
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. squash — to crush
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. squash — the sport
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. swing — music
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. craft — boats
  22. game — wild animals
  23. plane — a tool
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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