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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. cap — a hat
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bat — the animal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rush — hurry
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cap — of ice
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. plane — a tool
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. leaves — of a tree

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