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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. spell — magic
  3. cell — in biology
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. stand — to bear
  6. tube — the underground
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. snap — to click
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. spell — a short time
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. tube — a container
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. plane — a tool
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cell — a phone
  24. spell — letters

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