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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. vault — a safe
  3. plane — a tool
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. march — music
  6. season — in sport
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. spell — magic
  9. season — of the year
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. march — the month
  12. roll — a cake
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. roll — a list
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. spell — letters
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. march — the month
  20. spell — a short time
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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