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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bank — of a river
  3. craft — a skill
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. clip — for paper
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. drill — the tool
  10. present — a gift
  11. drill — army training
  12. present — the time now
  13. mug — a face
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. present — there
  17. drill — a practice
  18. clip — a video
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bank — for money
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bank — for money

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