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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. fall — to drop
  5. staff — employees
  6. plane — a tool
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. vault — a safe
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — a phone
  18. staff — employees
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. fall — the season
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to click
  23. fall — to drop
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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