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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. march — the month
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. rash — a series
  7. march — music
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. rash — hasty
  10. scale — size or range
  11. spell — a short time
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. vault — a safe
  15. spell — letters
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. march — the month
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. plane — a tool
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. staff — a stick
  24. spell — magic

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