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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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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 · present · plane · vault · race · mine · charge · fall

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. race — humankind
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. stand — to bear
  8. fall — to drop
  9. charge — in control
  10. mine — for digging
  11. present — the time now
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. race — a contest
  17. fall — to drop
  18. plane — a tool
  19. present — a gift
  20. fall — the season
  21. race — the arms race
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. present — there
  24. mine — belonging to me

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