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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · ball · bulb · club · stand · shower · object · dip

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. ball — a great time
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. club — for golf
  9. ball — a dance
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bulb — for light
  12. shower — rain
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stand — to bear
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. object — an aim
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. club — a group
  19. object — to protest
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. club — for dancing
  22. object — a thing
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. bulb — for light

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