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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. dip — to sink
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cap — of ice
  6. spell — letters
  7. plane — a tool
  8. cap — a hat
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. mug — a cup
  15. stand — to bear
  16. cap — a lid
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — a short time
  24. vault — a safe

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