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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. net — in sport
  4. firm — a company
  5. stand — to bear
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. firm — steady
  8. dip — to sink
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. net — for catching
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. firm — decided
  16. vault — a safe
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. net — after costs
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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