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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 116 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 · lie · trunk · band · plane · mug · capital · race

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mug — to rob
  3. plane — a tool
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. capital — a city
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. race — the arms race
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. race — humankind
  15. band — a ring
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. band — a music group
  18. mug — a cup
  19. capital — money
  20. lie — to recline
  21. race — a contest
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mug — a face
  24. lie — an untruth

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