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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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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: tear · vault · plane · mug · drill · key · bear · jam

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. key — for a lock
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — army training
  8. bear — the animal
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bear — the animal
  12. tear — from crying
  13. mug — a face
  14. tear — from crying
  15. key — in music
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. drill — a practice
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. vault — a safe
  23. tear — to rip
  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