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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fine — all right
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stock — goods
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stock — shares
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rock — music
  11. cell — in biology
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pit — in a race
  14. cell — a phone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bulb — for light
  22. vault — a safe
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. cell — in a prison

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