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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. plane — a tool
  9. shower — rain
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mate — to breed
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bore — to drill
  17. mate — a partner
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. shower — to wash
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bore — to tire
  24. lash — to lash out

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