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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
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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 · temple · fan · pitch · prune · vault · nail · hand

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. hand — help
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. hand — in cards
  10. stand — to bear
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pitch — completely
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. vault — a safe
  23. prune — to trim
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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