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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: present · key · bark · board · bat · vault · plane · pit

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. present — the time now
  3. bark — to shout
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — there
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. key — for a lock
  12. vault — a safe
  13. board — to get on
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. plane — a tool
  16. key — the most important part
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. key — in music
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. board — a committee
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pit — in a race
  24. board — a flat piece

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