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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. lean — thin
  4. date — the fruit
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bass — low music
  7. track — a path
  8. race — a contest
  9. chip — for betting
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. track — a song
  14. plane — a tool
  15. lean — to bend
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bass — the fish
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. race — humankind
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. chip — to eat
  23. race — the arms race
  24. lean — to rest against

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