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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ground — crushed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bound — tied together
  13. kick — in football
  14. craft — boats
  15. ground — the earth
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bound — obliged
  19. plane — a tool
  20. ground — a position
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. date — the fruit
  24. kick — with a leg

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