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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
468
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: mine · plane · craft · fine · toast · mark · vault · ground

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mark — a grade
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. mine — for digging
  5. ground — crushed
  6. fine — all right
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. craft — a skill
  14. toast — bread
  15. craft — boats
  16. plane — a tool
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. ground — a position
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fine — high quality
  23. ground — the earth
  24. plane — an aircraft

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