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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. firm — steady
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. cap — of ice
  6. roll — a cake
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cue — for pool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — moving air
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cap — a lid
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. firm — decided
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. firm — a company
  20. cue — a signal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. cue — a hint
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. roll — a list

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