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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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Word bank
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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mine — for digging
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. face — to confront
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. chest — of your body
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — a box
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. cell — a phone
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cell — in biology
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. vault — a safe

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