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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. chip — for betting
  4. plane — a tool
  5. sharp — clever
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. lie — to recline
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — letters
  10. vault — a safe
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. chip — to eat
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. row — to paddle
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. row — a line

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