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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 116 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. craft — boats
  4. cue — a hint
  5. mate — a friend
  6. cue — a signal
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. mate — to breed
  9. can — a tin
  10. plane — a tool
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. cue — for pool
  16. spring — the season
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. spring — a coil
  19. craft — a skill
  20. spring — of water
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mate — a partner

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