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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: plane · fall · mouse · cue · stand · vault · stem · fine

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. fine — all right
  3. cue — a signal
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. plane — a tool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. vault — a safe
  18. cue — for pool
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. cue — a hint
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. fine — high quality
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. fall — the season

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