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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: court · vault · kick · stand · club · leaves · bear · sharp

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. kick — in football
  4. stand — to bear
  5. club — a group
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. court — of law
  10. court — of a king
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. court — for sport
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. vault — a safe
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. sharp — clever
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bear — the animal

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