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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: staff · plane · content · band · vault · file · mark · lash

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. file — a line of people
  4. staff — employees
  5. mark — a grade
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. content — happy
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. file — a document
  12. plane — a tool
  13. content — the amount
  14. file — a tool
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. band — a music group
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. band — a ring
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. content — videos and posts
  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