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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 · chair · mug · race · stand · band · lash · racket

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. band — a music group
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. race — a contest
  9. mug — to rob
  10. band — a ring
  11. chair — a leader
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. mug — a cup
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mug — a face
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — the arms race
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. vault — a safe

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