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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. saw — the tool
  3. firm — steady
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. saw — the tool
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. spell — a short time
  14. suit — to fit
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. spell — magic
  19. suit — in cards
  20. spell — letters
  21. suit — clothes
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. vault — a safe
  24. plane — a tool

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