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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.

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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: race · date · prune · plane · vault · cabinet · content · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. plane — a tool
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. race — a contest
  6. vault — a safe
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. race — humankind
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. content — the amount
  13. prune — to trim
  14. content — happy
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. date — the fruit
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. race — the arms race
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. prune — to trim
  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