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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rock — a stone
  4. plane — a tool
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. capital — a city
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rock — music
  10. vault — a safe
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. wake — a trail
  16. chair — a leader
  17. key — the most important part
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. key — for a lock
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. key — in music
  23. capital — money
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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