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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: plane · key · rash · vault · spell · march · present · wind

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. spell — letters
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. march — the month
  5. rash — hasty
  6. key — in music
  7. plane — a tool
  8. present — the time now
  9. march — music
  10. wind — moving air
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. key — for a lock
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. march — the month
  18. spell — magic
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. spell — a short time
  21. present — there
  22. key — the most important part
  23. present — a gift
  24. rash — a series

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