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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: last · stand · chip · root · vault · spell · plane · patient

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. root — the cause
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. chip — to eat
  11. root — of a plant
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — a short time
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. last — to go on
  18. chip — for betting
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. last — finally
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. plane — a tool
  23. vault — a safe
  24. root — of a word

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