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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cell — in biology
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. wound — an injury
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. scale — size or range
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cell — a phone
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. nail — for a hammer

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