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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: vault · jam · firm · ball · wound · roll · stand · board

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. firm — steady
  5. board — to get on
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. stand — to bear
  8. ball — a dance
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. roll — a list
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. board — a committee
  17. wound — an injury
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. vault — a safe
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. firm — a company
  24. roll — a cake

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