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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. object — an aim
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. shower — rain
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. staff — a stick
  12. vault — a safe
  13. shower — to wash
  14. object — to protest
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. staff — employees
  17. object — a thing
  18. snap — to click
  19. staff — employees
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. cell — a phone
  22. plane — a tool
  23. cell — in biology
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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