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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: wind · race · vault · can · hide · spell · rest · plane

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. rest — a break
  4. plane — a tool
  5. wind — moving air
  6. can — a tin
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. race — the arms race
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. race — a contest
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — magic
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. can — a tin
  16. rest — what's left
  17. spell — letters
  18. rest — what's left
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. vault — a safe
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wind — moving air
  23. can — to be able to
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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