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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stock — shares
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. band — a ring
  8. stock — goods
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. vault — a safe
  17. band — a music group
  18. deal — a big deal

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