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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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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 · perch · squash · file · stand · firm · calf · nail

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. vault — a safe
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. firm — a company
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. firm — steady
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. file — a document
  14. firm — decided
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. file — a line of people
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — to crush
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. file — a tool
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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