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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: shower · mate · leaves · vault · perch · stand · toast · fine

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. toast — bread
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mate — a partner
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. shower — to wash
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fine — high quality
  13. vault — a safe
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. fine — all right
  19. shower — rain
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. leaves — of a tree

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