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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. race — a contest
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. perch — the fish
  7. vault — a safe
  8. stem — to come from
  9. race — humankind
  10. bear — the animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bear — the animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. race — the arms race
  22. scale — in music
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. scale — size or range

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