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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — crushed
  7. spring — a coil
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. ground — a position
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. rash — a series
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rush — hurry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. spring — of water
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rash — hasty
  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