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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. track — a song
  3. face — to confront
  4. cap — a lid
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — an injury
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cap — a hat
  11. plane — a tool
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. face — to point toward
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. track — to keep track
  18. vault — a safe
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. track — a path
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. cap — of ice
  24. face — part of the head

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