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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 116 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: plane · bulb · stock · lie · vault · patient · stand · degree

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stock — goods
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. degree — temperature
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bulb — for light
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. degree — from a university
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. degree — an amount
  14. stock — shares
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bulb — for light
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. vault — a safe
  21. plane — a tool
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bulb — of a plant

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