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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. file — a document
  4. rock — a stone
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rock — music
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. last — finally
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. file — a tool
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. charge — in control
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. charge — a price
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. vault — a safe
  19. charge — electricity
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. last — to go on
  23. file — a line of people
  24. last — final

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