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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: saw · rock · pound · bowl · calf · game · plane · vault

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. plane — a tool
  3. game — a match
  4. vault — a safe
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pound — a weight
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rock — music
  20. saw — the tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. saw — the 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