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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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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: vault · wound · hide · shower · pitcher · track · firm · stand

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. wound — an injury
  3. firm — steady
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. track — a song
  8. shower — rain
  9. firm — a company
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stand — to bear
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. shower — to wash
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. vault — a safe
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. firm — decided
  20. track — a path
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. hide — to keep secret

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