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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: season · stand · vault · foot · bound · cell · fork · mark

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. cell — a phone
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. season — in sport
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cell — in biology
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bound — tied together
  13. fork — in a road
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bound — certain
  19. season — of the year
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. vault — a safe
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bound — obliged

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