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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spring — a coil
  7. wax — to grow
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lie — to recline
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. spring — of water
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. spring — the season
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. vault — a safe
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — in music

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