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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 116 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: season · field · firm · coach · dip · vault · tube · plane

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. firm — steady
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. plane — a tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. firm — decided
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — in sport
  11. field — farmland
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. season — of the year
  19. field — for sport
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. vault — a safe
  22. tube — a container
  23. field — a subject
  24. firm — a company

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