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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: track · plane · vault · rush · rash · season · snap · content

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. track — a song
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. season — in sport
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. season — of the year
  12. rash — hasty
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rash — a series
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a path
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. content — the amount
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. content — happy
  24. snap — to click

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