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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bore — to tire
  4. drill — army training
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a match
  9. cue — a hint
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bore — to drill
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. vault — a safe
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. plane — a tool
  24. drill — a practice

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