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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. season — of the year
  3. face — to point toward
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. craft — a skill
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. face — to confront
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. degree — an amount
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bear — the animal
  13. face — part of the head
  14. degree — from a university
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. degree — temperature
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. season — in sport
  24. craft — boats

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