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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: firm · vault · wake · track · mark · stand · ball · lash

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. firm — a company
  3. stand — to bear
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. vault — a safe
  6. ball — a great time
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. track — a path
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wake — a trail
  12. mark — a grade
  13. track — to keep track
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. firm — decided
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. firm — steady
  18. ball — a dance
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. track — a song
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — before a funeral

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