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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
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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: mark · bear · lean · scale · mine · plane · vault · present

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lean — to bend
  3. present — a gift
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. scale — size or range
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. present — the time now
  15. plane — a tool
  16. vault — a safe
  17. scale — in music
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. present — there
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. lean — thin
  24. bear — the animal

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