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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 120 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. field — a subject
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. key — in music
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. root — of a word
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — in football
  10. mark — a grade
  11. key — for a lock
  12. sharp — clever
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. root — of a plant
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. vault — a safe
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. field — for sport
  21. plane — a tool
  22. root — the cause
  23. mark — a trace
  24. field — farmland

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