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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: rush · mine · pitcher · saw · plane · vault · nail · ball

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ball — a dance
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. plane — a tool
  20. ball — a great time
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rush — hurry

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