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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bound — certain
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. vault — a safe
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. kick — in football
  17. bound — tied together
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. branch — a division
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bound — obliged
  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