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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: mark · stand · vault · temple · wind · saw · bass · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. staff — employees
  2. mark — a trace
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — low music
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. staff — a stick
  12. stand — to bear
  13. mark — a grade
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bass — the fish
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. staff — employees
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — moving air
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. vault — a safe
  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