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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: plane · cabinet · sharp · fall · vault · bass · land · rush

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. fall — to drop
  5. land — to come down
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. plane — a tool
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. land — a country
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fall — to drop
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bass — the fish
  17. land — ground
  18. rush — hurry
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. fall — the season
  21. bass — low music
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. sharp — clever

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