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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: plane · field · foot · sharp · vault · ground

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. vault — a safe
  6. field — for sport
  7. sharp — clever
  8. field — a subject
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. ground — the earth
  12. field — farmland
  13. ground — crushed
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. foot — a measure
  16. plane — a tool
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. ground — a position

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