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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: bass · bowl · fine · vault · plane · board · staff · spring

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fine — all right
  4. spring — the season
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bass — low music
  14. spring — of water
  15. staff — employees
  16. fine — high quality
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. spring — a coil
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. board — a committee
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. staff — employees

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