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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. snap — to click
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. vault — a safe
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — to get on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lie — to recline
  20. game — a match
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. board — a committee
  23. plane — a tool
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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