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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. tube — a container
  4. ball — a dance
  5. lie — to recline
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. tube — the underground
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ball — a great time
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. arm — part of the body

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