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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: vault · spell · last · plane · game · temple · track · bay

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. last — final
  5. spell — magic
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. game — a match
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. last — to go on
  12. track — a path
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. game — wild animals
  16. spell — letters
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. spell — a short time
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. last — finally

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