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

Word bank: rule · foot · content · dip · plane · tear · vault · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. content — the amount
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. tear — from crying
  7. vault — a safe
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. foot — a measure
  12. content — happy
  13. rule — a law
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. plane — a tool
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. rule — government
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — to tire

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