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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: wind · mug · land · suit · stand · vault · mark · foot

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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. land — ground
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stand — to bear
  7. mark — a grade
  8. land — a country
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mug — to rob
  11. wind — moving air
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. land — to come down
  19. suit — to fit
  20. foot — a measure
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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