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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: plane · firm · field · spring · vault · pound · scale · suit

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. suit — clothes
  3. spring — the season
  4. pound — a weight
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. scale — size or range
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. spring — a coil
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. firm — steady
  13. suit — to fit
  14. field — a subject
  15. vault — a safe
  16. field — for sport
  17. spring — of water
  18. scale — in music
  19. plane — a tool
  20. field — farmland
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. suit — in cards
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. firm — decided

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