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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. file — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. row — a line
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a document
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. prune — to trim
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. vault — a safe
  23. prune — to trim
  24. plane — a tool

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