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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: band · vault · squash · temple · row · bear · roll · plane

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. roll — a cake
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. roll — a list
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. squash — the sport
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bear — the animal
  13. squash — to crush
  14. plane — a tool
  15. band — a ring
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. row — a line
  21. bear — the animal
  22. row — to paddle
  23. vault — a safe
  24. band — a music group

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