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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: game · temple · vault · saw · bore · plane · fork · jam

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. game — wild animals
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. game — a match
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. fork — a garden tool

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