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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · branch · kick · field · key · vault · wound · spring

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. field — for sport
  4. kick — in football
  5. spring — a coil
  6. key — for a lock
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. key — in music
  9. field — farmland
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. field — a subject
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. vault — a safe
  16. wound — an injury
  17. plane — a tool
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. key — the most important part
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. spring — of water
  23. branch — a division
  24. spring — the season

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