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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. object — a thing
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. sharp — clever
  5. key — the most important part
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rest — what's left
  9. vault — a safe
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. object — an aim
  13. rush — hurry
  14. key — in music
  15. plane — a tool
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. key — for a lock
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. rest — what's left
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rest — a break

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