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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. staff — employees
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. vault — a safe
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. race — the arms race
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. race — humankind
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. race — a contest
  24. date — the fruit

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