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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: saw · rock · prune · key · pound · foot · stand · vault

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rock — a stone
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rock — music
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pound — a weight
  10. key — the most important part
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. foot — a measure
  14. key — for a lock
  15. prune — to trim
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. key — in music
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. foot — part of the body

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