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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.

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: wax · stem · bass · pitch · vault · pop · stand · fine

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pop — soda
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. stand — to bear
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fine — high quality
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bass — low music
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pitch — completely
  16. wax — to grow
  17. fine — all right
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stem — to come from

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