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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: plane · vault · chest · race · rock · stand

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. chest — of your body
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. race — a contest
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. chest — of your body
  14. vault — a safe
  15. rock — music
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. chest — a box
  18. rock — to move gently

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