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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lie — to recline
  5. vault — a safe
  6. date — the fruit
  7. stem — to come from
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. plane — a tool
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bass — the fish
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bass — low music
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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