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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. last — final
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. band — a ring
  6. bass — low music
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. wake — a trail
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bark — to shout
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. vault — a safe
  16. last — finally
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. last — to go on
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bass — the fish
  23. band — a music group
  24. wake — before a funeral

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