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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 120 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stock — shares
  5. land — a country
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. chest — a box
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. land — ground
  16. chest — of your body
  17. land — to come down
  18. rush — hurry
  19. root — of a word
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stock — goods
  22. chest — of your body
  23. vault — a safe
  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