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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: perch · vault · object · saw · plane · ground · march · tube

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. vault — a safe
  3. ground — a position
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. ground — crushed
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. object — a thing
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. march — the month
  10. ground — the earth
  11. march — the month
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. perch — the fish
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. tube — the underground
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. object — an aim
  20. march — music
  21. object — to protest
  22. saw — the tool
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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