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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: court · swing · suit · cap · bank · stand · lie · vault

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. swing — in golf
  3. court — for sport
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bank — for money
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bank — for money
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. stand — to bear
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. court — of a king
  14. suit — clothes
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bank — of a river
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. swing — music
  22. vault — a safe
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cap — of ice

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