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

Word bank: calf · ruler · plane · rock · tube · vault · lash · date

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. rock — a stone
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rock — music
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. date — the fruit
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. vault — a safe
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — a container
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. plane — in geometry

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