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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. face — to point toward
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. face — to confront
  6. face — part of the head
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. staff — employees
  10. vault — a safe
  11. present — the time now
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bear — the animal
  14. staff — a stick
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. lean — thin
  17. present — there
  18. file — a line of people
  19. present — a gift
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a document
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bear — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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