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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 116 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a partner
  5. court — of a king
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. court — for sport
  13. mate — a friend
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. snap — to click
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. fall — to drop
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pass — a permit
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. court — of law
  24. plane — a tool

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