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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 · roll · bay · cap · rule

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rule — government
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cap — of ice
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rule — a law
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stand — to bear
  18. roll — a list

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