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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: dip · stand · fork · bulb · march · patient · firm · vault

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fork — in a road
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bulb — for light
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. stand — to bear
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. dip — to sink
  14. firm — a company
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. march — music
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. march — the month
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. march — the month
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fork — a garden tool

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