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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: ground · fan · vault · season · perch · stand · face · cue

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. ground — crushed
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. face — to confront
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. perch — the fish
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ground — the earth
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ground — a position
  14. face — to point toward
  15. vault — a safe
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — in sport
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cue — for pool
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. face — part of the head
  22. cue — a hint
  23. season — of the year
  24. perch — for a bird

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