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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: shower · vault · bore · mine · racket · bass · plane · hide

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bore — to drill
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. vault — a safe
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bass — low music
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. shower — to wash
  22. shower — rain
  23. bore — to tire
  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