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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bore — to tire
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bore — to drill
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rock — a stone
  9. kid — child
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. track — to keep track
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. track — a path
  14. kid — to tease
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. plane — a tool
  19. track — a song
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rock — 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