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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: mine · pound · fine · vault · band · bear · charge · stand

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. stand — to bear
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. vault — a safe
  9. band — a music group
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. charge — electricity
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — for digging
  17. fine — all right
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. charge — in control
  20. pound — a weight
  21. band — a ring
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. charge — a price

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