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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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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: racket · lash · vault · wind · content · craft · plane · bat

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. wind — moving air
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. content — happy
  7. content — the amount
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bat — the animal
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. vault — a safe
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wind — moving air
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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