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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.

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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: firm · ball · plane · board · wind · hide · vault · pass

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. firm — a company
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wind — moving air
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pass — a permit
  8. vault — a safe
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. firm — decided
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. firm — steady
  19. board — to get on
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. board — a committee

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