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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 116 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 · season · dip · firm · board · stand · stock · branch

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. firm — decided
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. dip — to sink
  6. stock — shares
  7. branch — a division
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. season — of the year
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — a safe
  18. firm — steady
  19. season — in sport
  20. board — a committee
  21. stock — goods
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. firm — a company
  24. dip — a sauce

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