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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. tear — from crying
  4. firm — a company
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. firm — decided
  10. tear — to rip
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. tear — from crying
  13. squash — to crush
  14. wind — moving air
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. vault — a safe
  17. kick — in football
  18. firm — steady
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wind — moving air
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. deal — to handle
  23. plane — a tool
  24. kick — a thrill

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