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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.

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: mine · foot · band · mug · leaves · vault · plane · wave

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. band — a music group
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. foot — a measure
  7. plane — a tool
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mine — for digging
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. mug — a cup
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. band — a ring
  22. mug — a face
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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