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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: vault · kid · plane · ball · stand · bound · branch · pop

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pop — to visit
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bound — obliged
  6. kid — to tease
  7. pop — soda
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. ball — a dance
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bound — certain
  13. kid — child
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pop — music
  16. vault — a safe
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. ball — a great time
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bound — tied together
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. branch — a division

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