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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.

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: leaves · board · coach · plane · foot · vault · rash · toast

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. toast — bread
  4. board — a committee
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rash — hasty
  10. vault — a safe
  11. foot — a measure
  12. rash — a series
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. plane — a tool
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. board — to get on
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. coach — a trainer

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