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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. present — a gift
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. present — the time now
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. present — there
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stem — to come from
  22. plane — a tool
  23. arm — part of the body
  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