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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. court — for sport
  7. mate — a friend
  8. prune — to trim
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. court — of law
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. root — the cause
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. court — of a king
  20. ball — a great time
  21. vault — a safe
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — of a word
  24. fan — a supporter

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