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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · vault · season · leaves · stem · coach · race · sharp

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. race — humankind
  4. stem — to come from
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. vault — a safe
  12. race — a contest
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. season — in sport
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. stand — to bear
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. race — the arms race
  24. season — of the year

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