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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: land · ball · vault · content · band · board · plane · scale

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. board — to get on
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. vault — a safe
  7. plane — a tool
  8. board — a committee
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. scale — in music
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. land — a country
  13. content — the amount
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. band — a ring
  16. land — to come down
  17. band — a music group
  18. content — happy
  19. ball — a dance
  20. land — ground
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. ball — a great time
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. scale — size or range

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