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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 116 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  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. club — for dancing
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bound — obliged
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bound — tied together
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bound — certain
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. club — for golf
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. deal — to handle
  17. club — a group
  18. file — a document
  19. vault — a safe
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. file — a line of people
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. file — a tool
  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