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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: ground · season · lean · hand · rush · plane · board · vault

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — help
  3. season — of the year
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. hand — in cards
  8. lean — thin
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. board — a committee
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. board — to get on
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. lean — to bend
  19. ground — crushed
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ground — a position
  22. season — in sport
  23. ground — the earth
  24. rush — hurry

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