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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. plane — a tool
  3. perch — the fish
  4. staff — employees
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. firm — steady
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — in cards
  10. firm — decided
  11. staff — employees
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. hand — help
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bat — the animal
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. firm — a company
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. kick — in football
  24. staff — a stick

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