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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. game — a match
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — to bear
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. lie — to recline
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bank — of a river
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — the amount
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. plane — a tool
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. content — happy
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bank — for money
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bank — for money
  24. stand — on your feet

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