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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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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 · vault · kid · club · mate · mark · leaves · board

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mate — a partner
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. board — a committee
  7. mark — a trace
  8. vault — a safe
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. club — a group
  13. stand — to bear
  14. board — to get on
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. kid — child
  17. mate — a friend
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. club — for golf
  20. mark — a grade
  21. kid — to tease
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. club — for dancing

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