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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. net — after costs
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. net — in sport
  10. hand — in cards
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. net — for catching
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. snap — to click
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pit — a hole
  20. hand — help
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. vault — a safe
  23. pit — in a race
  24. plane — in geometry

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