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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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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: fork · band · firm · stand · vault · suit · leaves · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. firm — a company
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. march — the month
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. band — a music group
  7. suit — to fit
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. firm — steady
  12. vault — a safe
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. march — music
  15. suit — in cards
  16. band — a ring
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. suit — clothes
  20. firm — decided
  21. fork — in a road
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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