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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.

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: rest · pass · net · vault · stand · land · spring · plane

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. land — ground
  3. spring — a coil
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. land — a country
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. net — after costs
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rest — what's left
  12. vault — a safe
  13. net — in sport
  14. land — to come down
  15. net — for catching
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rest — what's left
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. spring — the season
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. spring — of water
  24. rest — a break

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