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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: stand · mark · season · vault · spring · present · kid · squash

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  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. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. present — a gift
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. vault — a safe
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. present — the time now
  8. mark — a trace
  9. squash — to crush
  10. season — of the year
  11. kid — to tease
  12. spring — the season
  13. present — there
  14. season — in sport
  15. mark — a grade
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stand — to bear
  21. spring — of water
  22. spring — a coil
  23. kid — child
  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