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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 120 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: current · trunk · face · vault · drill · bound · stand · ground

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bound — tied together
  4. drill — the tool
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bound — certain
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. drill — army training
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. drill — a practice
  14. current — happening now
  15. face — part of the head
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — crushed
  18. current — electric
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. face — to point toward
  21. vault — a safe
  22. face — to confront
  23. bound — obliged
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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