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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 · bat · plane · charge · vault · bay · cold · court

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. court — of a king
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. cold — an illness
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. vault — a safe
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. cold — not warm
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bat — the animal
  18. charge — electricity
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. charge — a price
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. court — of law
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. court — for sport

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