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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: season · stand · stock · calf · vault · present · lean · field

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. present — the time now
  3. stand — to bear
  4. field — farmland
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. present — a gift
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. present — there
  9. vault — a safe
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. lean — thin
  14. stock — shares
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. field — for sport
  17. field — a subject
  18. stock — goods
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. lean — to bend

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