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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  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. roll — a list
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. rule — a law
  6. vault — a safe
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — of the year
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — certain
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. can — a tin
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. rule — government
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. can — to be able to
  20. roll — a cake
  21. can — a tin
  22. bound — obliged
  23. plane — a tool
  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