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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: plane · craft · ruler · vault · coach · bowl · field · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. craft — boats
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. field — for sport
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. vault — a safe
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. plane — a tool
  21. field — a subject
  22. craft — a skill
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. field — farmland

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