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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. track — a path
  3. firm — decided
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. fine — all right
  10. plane — a tool
  11. fine — high quality
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. firm — steady
  14. cell — a phone
  15. sharp — clever
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wake — a trail
  24. cell — in biology

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