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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. fall — the season
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rule — government
  14. fall — to drop
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. net — in sport
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. fall — to drop
  20. net — after costs
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. net — for catching
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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