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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mine — for digging
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. lean — thin
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. object — an aim
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. plane — a tool
  16. stand — to bear
  17. kick — in football
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — a safe

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