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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. cell — a phone
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. cell — in biology
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. clip — a video
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. clip — for paper
  16. clip — to cut
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. last — finally
  19. vault — a safe
  20. last — final
  21. ball — a great time
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. last — to go on
  24. nail — for a hammer

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