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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. plane — a tool
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. firm — a company
  9. cue — a signal
  10. vault — a safe
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. spring — of water
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cue — a hint
  20. spring — the season
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. plane — in geometry

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