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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bear — the animal
  3. squash — to crush
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — there
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wax — to grow
  21. present — the time now
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bear — the animal
  24. vault — a safe

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