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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 120 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: plane · band · land · net · race · vault · charge · safe

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. net — in sport
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. land — to come down
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. net — after costs
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. race — a contest
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. land — a country
  15. land — ground
  16. race — humankind
  17. band — a music group
  18. net — for catching
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. plane — a tool
  21. band — a ring
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. charge — in control
  24. race — the arms race

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