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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 120 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: nail · plane · present · stand · row · ruler · vault · fan

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. vault — a safe
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. row — a line
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. present — the time now
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. present — there
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. row — to paddle
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stand — to bear
  24. nail — on a finger

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