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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 120 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
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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: sharp · rash · plane · leaves · track · squash · vault · lie

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. vault — a safe
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. track — to keep track
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. track — a path
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. squash — to crush
  15. track — a song
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. squash — the sport
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. plane — a tool
  24. sharp — clever

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