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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.

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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: fine · snap · pass · vault · mine · plane · trunk · foot

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pass — a permit
  9. snap — to click
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. foot — a measure
  15. fine — high quality
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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