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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bark — to shout
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. game — a match
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. foot — a measure
  9. roll — a cake
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — wild animals
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. scale — size or range
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. scale — in music
  17. bank — for money
  18. roll — a list
  19. bank — of a river
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. plane — a tool

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