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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. chest — of your body
  4. lean — thin
  5. roll — a cake
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. mug — a face
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mug — to rob
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. can — a tin
  13. roll — a list
  14. chest — of your body
  15. lean — to bend
  16. can — a tin
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. chest — a box
  19. mug — a cup
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stand — to bear
  24. vault — a safe

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