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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: stand · fan · stick · row · vault · dip · mine · firm

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. row — to paddle
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stand — to bear
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. firm — steady
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. firm — decided
  20. row — a line
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. firm — a company
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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