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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 120 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mate — a partner
  6. sharp — clever
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stand — to bear
  9. ball — a dance
  10. vault — a safe
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. key — in music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. mate — to breed
  22. key — for a lock
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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