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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: vault · fall · pound · stand · object · ruler

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. stand — to bear
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. object — a thing
  6. fall — to drop
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. fall — the season
  11. object — to protest
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. object — an aim
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. fall — to drop
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pound — a weight

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