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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: drill · vault · lie · stand · board · toast · mark · roll

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stand — to bear
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mark — a grade
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. lie — to recline
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. board — a committee
  12. drill — a practice
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. drill — the tool
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. roll — a cake
  19. vault — a safe
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. toast — bread
  22. roll — a list
  23. drill — army training
  24. board — to get on

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