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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bound — tied together
  3. cue — a hint
  4. tube — the underground
  5. fall — the season
  6. root — of a word
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. fall — to drop
  12. dip — to sink
  13. tube — a container
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. cue — a signal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. root — the cause
  18. cue — for pool
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. root — of a plant
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. vault — a safe
  24. tube — in a tire

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