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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 · jam · mate · vault · bat · lean · wave · season

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bat — the animal
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mate — a partner
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. mate — a friend
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. lean — thin
  16. season — of the year
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mate — to breed
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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