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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bound — obliged
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bound — certain
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. craft — a skill
  8. plane — a tool
  9. vault — a safe
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. cap — of ice
  12. race — a contest
  13. craft — boats
  14. mark — a trace
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. race — the arms race
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mark — a grade
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. race — humankind
  24. fan — a supporter

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