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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 · vault · fork · dip · wind · present

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. stand — to bear
  6. dip — to sink
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. present — a gift
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. present — the time now
  12. fork — in a road
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wind — moving air
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. present — there
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — an arched ceiling

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