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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. 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. fine — a penalty
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. vault — a safe
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. 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