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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: nail · pitch · leaves · vault · fall · saw · plane · stock

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  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. fall — the season
  2. plane — a tool
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pitch — completely
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. stock — goods
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. vault — a safe
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fall — to drop
  12. stock — shares
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. saw — the tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. saw — the tool
  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