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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.

Make a worksheet

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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. plane — a tool
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. face — to confront
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — low music
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. chair — a leader
  19. face — to point toward
  20. vault — a safe
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. ball — a great time

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