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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. stock — goods
  8. dip — to sink
  9. pitch — completely
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stock — shares
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. squash — to crush
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. plane — a tool
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. mouse — the animal

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