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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. roll — a list
  6. vault — a safe
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bark — to shout
  14. suit — to fit
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. roll — a cake
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. rock — music
  24. suit — clothes

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