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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
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: squash · plane · spring · lash · lean · nail · vault · branch

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. nail — on a finger
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. branch — a division
  4. spring — of water
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. squash — to crush
  12. plane — a tool
  13. lean — to bend
  14. spring — the season
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. lean — thin
  17. vault — a safe
  18. spring — a coil
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. squash — the sport
  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