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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: sharp · wound · mark · plane · cap · fan · vault · kick

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mark — a grade
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. cap — of ice
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. kick — in football
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mark — a trace
  16. sharp — clever
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. wound — an injury
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. kick — a thrill

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