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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. vault — a safe
  5. plane — a tool
  6. season — in sport
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. prune — to trim
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rock — a stone
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rock — music
  15. prune — to trim
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mate — to breed
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. season — of the year

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