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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 120 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bat — the animal
  7. board — to get on
  8. vault — a safe
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. plane — a tool
  20. board — a committee
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. temple — side of the head

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