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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 116 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rest — what's left
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rest — what's left
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rest — a break
  17. scale — size or range
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bulb — for light
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bulb — of a plant

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