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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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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pit — a hole
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lie — to recline
  8. clip — a video
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. charge — in control
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. clip — to cut
  19. plane — a tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. clip — for paper
  24. lie — an untruth

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