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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 · stem · pitch · nail · present · vault · safe · board

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. board — to get on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. present — there
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. present — the time now
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. present — a gift
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stem — of a plant

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