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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. object — to protest
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bore — to drill
  10. object — an aim
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. root — of a word
  17. bore — to tire
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. object — a thing
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. vault — a safe
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. fan — to cool the air

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