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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. squash — to crush
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rest — what's left
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. mug — a face
  10. stem — to come from
  11. rest — a break
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. mug — a cup
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. vault — a safe
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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