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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bear — the animal
  4. chest — of your body
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bear — the animal
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. chest — of your body
  11. can — to be able to
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — to rip
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tear — from crying
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. vault — a safe
  18. plane — a tool
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. can — a tin
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. chest — a box
  24. can — a tin

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