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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · vault · file · rock · fall · capital

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. file — a line of people
  4. file — a document
  5. fall — the season
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. rock — a stone
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. file — a tool
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rock — music
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fall — to drop

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