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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: vault · face · track · rest · leaves · bat · key · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rest — what's left
  3. track — a song
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. track — a path
  10. rest — a break
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bat — the animal
  15. key — in music
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. rest — what's left
  20. key — the most important part
  21. face — to confront
  22. vault — a safe
  23. track — to keep track
  24. leaves — lets stay

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