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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. saw — the tool
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. vault — a safe
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. current — electric
  11. prune — to trim
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. saw — the tool
  16. plane — a tool
  17. cell — a phone
  18. current — happening now
  19. cell — in biology
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a line
  22. current — of water
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. prune — to trim

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