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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: cap · cue · plane · rock · board · vault · spring · patient

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. spring — the season
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rock — music
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. plane — a tool
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. spring — a coil
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. spring — of water
  16. cap — a hat
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. cue — for pool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. cap — a lid
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. cap — of ice

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