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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: fine · vault · face · stick · craft · row · stand · last

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. vault — a safe
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. fine — all right
  8. face — to point toward
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. last — to go on
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. last — final
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a line
  20. fine — high quality
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to confront
  23. craft — boats
  24. row — a quarrel

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