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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. plane — a tool
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. net — after costs
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rule — a law
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — in sport
  17. swing — in golf
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bear — the animal
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. swing — to play on
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. swing — music
  24. rule — government

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