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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. vault — in gymnastics
  2. lean — to bend
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pass — a permit
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. present — the time now
  11. land — to come down
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. land — ground
  14. lean — thin
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. present — there
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. present — a gift
  21. bark — to shout
  22. land — a country
  23. pass — to spend 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