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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: firm · vault · racket · coach · degree · spring · stand · plane

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. spring — of water
  4. degree — an amount
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. plane — a tool
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. spring — a coil
  10. firm — decided
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. degree — temperature
  16. firm — a company
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. spring — the season
  19. firm — steady
  20. degree — from a university
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. stand — to bear
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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