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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bat · rock · mug · game · leaves · vault · firm · stand

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bat — the animal
  3. firm — steady
  4. rock — music
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. mug — to rob
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. game — a match
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. vault — a safe
  19. mug — a face
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. game — wild animals
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rock — a stone

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