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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. mine — for digging
  4. swing — in golf
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bank — for money
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bat — the animal
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bank — of a river
  14. firm — decided
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bank — for money
  19. firm — steady
  20. swing — music
  21. firm — a company
  22. stand — to bear
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. swing — to play on

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