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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. mate — to breed
  3. rock — a stone
  4. vault — a safe
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rock — music
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. plane — a tool
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rash — a series
  15. dip — to sink
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. mate — a friend
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wax — to grow
  21. mate — a partner
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rash — hasty

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