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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: plane · club · capital · row · branch · vault · ground · craft

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — a position
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. row — to paddle
  5. ground — the earth
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. branch — a division
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a skill
  12. capital — money
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. vault — a safe
  15. capital — a city
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. row — a line
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. club — for golf
  22. plane — a tool
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. plane — an aircraft

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