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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 116 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: cue · vault · bear · plane · stand · firm · pop · clip

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. clip — to cut
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. firm — decided
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. firm — a company
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — for pool
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — music
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. firm — steady
  19. clip — a video
  20. stand — to bear
  21. clip — for paper
  22. bear — the animal
  23. vault — a safe
  24. stand — for spectators

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