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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · season · court · vault · press · march · saw · staff

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. march — the month
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. staff — employees
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. plane — a tool
  8. press — to push
  9. staff — a stick
  10. press — a publisher
  11. march — music
  12. vault — a safe
  13. court — for sport
  14. press — newspapers
  15. saw — the tool
  16. season — in sport
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. staff — employees
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. court — of a king
  21. season — of the year
  22. court — of law
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. march — the month

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