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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: plane · object · pit · content · march · mate · vault · bulb

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. mate — to breed
  3. march — music
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. pit — in a race
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bulb — for light
  11. content — happy
  12. mate — a partner
  13. object — an aim
  14. march — the month
  15. bulb — for light
  16. object — a thing
  17. pit — a hole
  18. content — the amount
  19. mate — a friend
  20. march — the month
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. object — to protest

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