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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.

Make a worksheet

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: toast · foot · rush · fan · bark · vault · hide · plane

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. rush — hurry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bark — to shout
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — a safe
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. plane — a tool
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. toast — bread

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