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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
468
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: leaves · plane · vault · season · march · nail · staff · current

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. leaves — to go away
  2. plane — a tool
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. staff — employees
  7. season — in sport
  8. current — happening now
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. staff — employees
  11. current — of water
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. vault — a safe
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. march — the month
  18. season — of the year
  19. current — electric
  20. march — music
  21. staff — a stick
  22. march — the month
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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