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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. sharp — clever
  7. pop — soda
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pass — a permit
  13. plane — a tool
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. vault — a safe
  17. current — of water
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pop — music
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pit — a hole
  24. plane — an aircraft

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