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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. game — a match
  5. rock — a stone
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rock — music
  11. land — a country
  12. rule — government
  13. game — wild animals
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. vault — a safe
  16. land — to come down
  17. plane — a tool
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. prune — to trim
  20. land — ground
  21. rule — a law
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. prune — to trim

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