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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: stem · vault · stand · plane · bowl · season · staff · mate

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mate — to breed
  4. staff — a stick
  5. stem — to come from
  6. season — of the year
  7. staff — employees
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stand — to bear
  10. plane — a tool
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. mate — a partner
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. staff — employees
  19. season — in sport
  20. vault — a safe
  21. mate — a friend
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. season — to add flavour

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