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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. march — music
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. shower — to wash
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. march — the month
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. deal — to handle
  22. march — the month
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. deal — an agreement

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