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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 116 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: lean · cold · fork · wave · bank · vault · spell · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. fork — in a road
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. lean — to bend
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. spell — magic
  14. cold — an illness
  15. lean — thin
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bank — for money
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. bank — for money
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — a short time
  22. vault — a safe
  23. cold — not warm
  24. bank — of a river

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