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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. hand — help
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. vault — a safe
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. march — the month
  14. fall — to drop
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fall — the season
  20. deal — to handle
  21. march — music
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. hand — in cards

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