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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: bank · bark · lean · stand · swing · fall · leaves · vault

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. fall — to drop
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. lean — thin
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bark — to shout
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bank — of a river
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. stand — to bear
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. swing — to play on
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. lean — to rest against

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