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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mark — a trace
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. court — of law
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. chest — a box
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. chest — of your body
  15. vault — a safe
  16. court — of a king
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin
  19. chest — of your body
  20. court — for sport
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mark — a grade

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