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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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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: vault · firm · rule · shower · capital · stand · stick · swing

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rule — a law
  3. swing — to play on
  4. capital — money
  5. swing — music
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. firm — a company
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. shower — rain
  10. capital — a city
  11. rule — government
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. firm — steady
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. shower — to wash
  16. swing — in golf
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. firm — decided
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. vault — a safe

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