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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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Word bank
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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. vault — a safe
  3. cell — a phone
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. land — to come down
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. land — a country
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. rule — a law
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. pass — a permit
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cell — in biology
  24. land — ground

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