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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: board · calf · plane · rest · jam · march · vault · lean

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. lean — thin
  4. rest — a break
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. march — music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. rest — what's left
  13. vault — a safe
  14. board — a committee
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lean — to bend
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. board — to get on
  19. plane — a tool
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  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