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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. scale — in music
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. row — a line
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pound — a weight
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. key — for a lock
  17. row — to paddle
  18. key — in music
  19. plane — a tool
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — to eat
  24. key — the most important part

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