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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. squash — to crush
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. bark — to shout
  7. plane — a tool
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bear — the animal
  14. squash — the sport
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kick — in football
  19. bear — the animal
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. vault — a safe

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