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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. vault — a safe
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. season — in sport
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mark — a grade
  16. saw — the tool
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. saw — the tool
  19. season — of the year
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bear — the animal
  24. plane — a tool

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