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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: stand · court · pass · object · pit · vault · spell · cold

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. spell — magic
  3. cold — an illness
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pit — in a race
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. object — to protest
  8. court — for sport
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. court — of a king
  11. object — a thing
  12. court — of law
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. cold — not warm
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — letters
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. object — an aim
  22. vault — a safe
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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