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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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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: row · pound · vault · snap · object · season · plane · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. season — of the year
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. object — a thing
  5. row — to paddle
  6. pound — a weight
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — in sport
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — a line
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. snap — to click
  17. cap — of ice
  18. object — to protest
  19. vault — a safe
  20. cap — a lid
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. object — an aim
  24. plane — in geometry

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