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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 120 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. charge — a price
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rock — a stone
  8. plane — a tool
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rock — music
  13. bore — to tire
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. spell — letters
  17. club — a group
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. sharp — clever
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bore — to drill
  22. charge — in control
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. club — for golf

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