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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.

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: plane · cap · vault · straw · trunk · mine · scale · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. cap — a lid
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cap — a hat
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mine — for digging
  13. scale — in music
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. vault — a safe
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. cap — of ice
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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