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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — a tool
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bore — to drill
  5. band — a music group
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. chest — a box
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. band — a ring
  17. chest — of your body
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bore — to tire
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. trunk — of a car

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