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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. suit — in cards
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. key — for a lock
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pitch — completely
  17. roll — a cake
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. key — in music
  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