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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. spell — magic
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rest — a break
  7. mark — a trace
  8. saw — the tool
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. plane — a tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. board — a committee
  13. spell — letters
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. board — to get on
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. mark — a grade
  22. spell — a short time
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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