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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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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: press · stand · wound · vault · bank · chair · capital · wave

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  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. capital — money
  2. bank — for money
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bank — of a river
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bank — for money
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. press — to push
  12. chair — a leader
  13. wound — an injury
  14. capital — a city
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — a safe
  18. press — a publisher
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  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