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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: stand · bat · vault · wax · game · lean · bulb · bound

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bound — certain
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bound — tied together
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bulb — for light
  12. game — a match
  13. bat — the animal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stand — to bear
  17. lean — thin
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. lean — to bend
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. game — wild animals
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  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