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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: bound · wake · stand · kick · content · march · season · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. kick — in football
  4. vault — a safe
  5. content — happy
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. content — the amount
  8. season — in sport
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. stand — to bear
  11. march — the month
  12. season — of the year
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. march — music
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bound — tied together
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. march — the month
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — obliged

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