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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 120 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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. ground — crushed
  5. last — finally
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cap — a hat
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. cap — of ice
  15. plane — a tool
  16. last — final
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ground — a position
  23. last — to go on
  24. cabinet — ministers

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