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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 120 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 · pitcher · content · lean · fan · stand · bay · band

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — thin
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. band — a music group
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. content — happy
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. content — the amount
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. lean — to bend
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. band — a ring

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