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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 116 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. firm — decided
  5. rash — a series
  6. firm — a company
  7. plane — a tool
  8. hand — in cards
  9. rash — hasty
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. firm — steady
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. vault — a safe
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. track — a path
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. track — to keep track
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. hand — help
  22. track — a song
  23. sharp — clever
  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