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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 116 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: pitcher · cue · bear · cap · vault · bore · plane · kid

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. plane — in geometry
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to drill
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cue — for pool
  12. kid — child
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. plane — a tool
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. cap — a lid
  19. kid — to tease
  20. cue — a hint
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bear — the animal
  23. vault — a safe
  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