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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: ground · vault · plane · coach · temple · craft · nail · land

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. ground — a position
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. land — a country
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. craft — boats
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. land — ground
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ground — crushed
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. vault — a safe
  19. ground — the earth
  20. land — to come down
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. craft — a skill
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. plane — a tool

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