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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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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bound — tied together
  4. prune — to trim
  5. hand — in cards
  6. face — to point toward
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. stand — to bear
  10. firm — a company
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hand — help
  18. bound — certain
  19. face — to confront
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. wake — a trail
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bound — obliged
  24. hand — part of the body

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