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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bore — to tire
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. file — a document
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. deal — to handle
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bass — low music
  20. file — a tool
  21. bore — to drill
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bass — the fish

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