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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: plane · land · hand · vault · pass · mark · lie · firm

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. firm — decided
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. land — a country
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. hand — help
  8. vault — a safe
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. land — ground
  13. mark — a trace
  14. lie — to recline
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. land — to come down
  17. hand — in cards
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. firm — a company
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. firm — steady
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pass — to spend time

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