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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mark — a trace
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. ball — a dance
  8. net — after costs
  9. cap — of ice
  10. board — to get on
  11. vault — a safe
  12. net — for catching
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. cap — a hat
  15. kid — child
  16. kid — to tease
  17. plane — a tool
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mark — a grade
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. net — in sport
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. board — a committee
  24. cap — a lid

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