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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: wind · bank · pound · vault · plane · spell · pass · rush

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wind — moving air
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — a safe
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bank — for money
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. spell — letters
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pass — a permit
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bank — of a river
  20. spell — a short time
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bank — for money
  23. pound — a weight
  24. spell — magic

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