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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: object · land · suit · vault · pound · chair · mine · stand

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. object — an aim
  3. land — to come down
  4. chair — a leader
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. land — ground
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. object — to protest
  13. vault — a safe
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stand — to bear
  20. land — a country
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. pound — a weight
  23. object — a thing
  24. mine — for digging

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