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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stem — to come from
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pit — a hole
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. kick — in football
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. cap — of ice
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. cap — a hat
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. plane — a tool
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. cap — a lid
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. plane — in geometry

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