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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bat — the animal
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. vault — a safe
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. rock — music
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rush — hurry

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