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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 120 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: last · fine · bulb · calf · vault · dip · plane · rock

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bulb — for light
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bulb — for light
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rock — music
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. last — to go on
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. last — finally
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rock — a stone
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. plane — a tool
  24. vault — a safe

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