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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mate — a partner
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. last — final
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. last — finally
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. club — a group
  13. plane — a tool
  14. club — for golf
  15. present — there
  16. mate — a friend
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. present — the time now
  19. vault — a safe
  20. present — a gift
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. club — for dancing
  23. last — to go on
  24. mate — to breed

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