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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. charge — a price
  4. bound — tied together
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. charge — in control
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bound — obliged
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cold — an illness
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bound — certain
  19. bark — to shout
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cold — not warm
  22. plane — a tool
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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