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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
468
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: pound · vault · ball · lash · rush · stand · mine · dip

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pound — a weight
  3. mine — for digging
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stand — to bear
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. dip — to sink
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. dip — to dunk

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