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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: safe · plane · pitch · stand · arm · capital · board · vault

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. vault — a safe
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. plane — a tool
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stand — to bear
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. board — to get on
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. capital — a city
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pitch — completely
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. pitch — a sports field

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