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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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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: jam · temple · roll · bay · plane · land · mine · vault

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — ground
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. roll — a list
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. plane — a tool
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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