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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. can — a tin
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. can — a tin
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. band — a ring
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — for digging
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. can — to be able to
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. vault — a safe
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. plane — a tool
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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