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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: rash · nail · mark · plane · vault · leaves · land · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. land — ground
  3. rash — hasty
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. vault — a safe
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rash — a series
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. mark — a trace
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. mark — a grade
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — a country
  24. leaves — to go away

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