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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 124 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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rock — a stone
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. plane — a tool
  9. club — for golf
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mine — for digging
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rock — music
  16. club — a group
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. root — of a word
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. club — for dancing
  23. root — the cause
  24. charge — in control

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