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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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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: stand · jam · rock · vault · straw · charge

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. charge — in control
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rock — a stone
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rock — music
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. vault — a safe
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — to clutch at straws

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