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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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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: stand · plane · bay · sharp · vault · cap · stick · charge

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cap — of ice
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cap — a lid
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. charge — in control
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. plane — a tool
  23. vault — a safe
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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