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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 116 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. spring — a coil
  3. mark — a trace
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. pound — a weight
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. vault — a safe
  13. cell — a phone
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. spring — of water
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cell — in biology
  24. spring — the season

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