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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. rush — hurry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — obliged
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cell — in biology
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fine — high quality

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