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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cold · cabinet · plane · object · vault · bulb

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bulb — for light
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. cold — an illness
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cold — not warm
  14. object — to protest
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. object — a thing

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