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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: vault · land · snap · lie · mark · coach · plane · trunk

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mark — a grade
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. plane — a tool
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. land — ground
  13. snap — to click
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. land — to come down
  16. lie — to recline
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. vault — a safe
  19. mark — a trace
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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