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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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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: race · temple · band · vault · prune · craft · plane · shower

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. race — the arms race
  3. shower — rain
  4. race — a contest
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. craft — a skill
  7. vault — a safe
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. shower — to wash
  13. band — a music group
  14. prune — to trim
  15. plane — a tool
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. band — a ring
  21. race — humankind
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. band — a rubber band

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