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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. degree — temperature
  3. degree — an amount
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mate — a partner
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. object — an aim
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. degree — from a university
  13. plane — a tool
  14. object — a thing
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. vault — a safe
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. deal — to handle
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. object — to protest
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. deal — a big deal

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