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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: prune · stand · cap · pop · arm · vault · bound · fan

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bound — certain
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cap — of ice
  6. pop — to visit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cap — a hat
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bound — tied together
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pop — music
  19. bound — obliged
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. vault — a safe
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pop — soda
  24. stand — for spectators

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