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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. stock — goods
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. stock — shares
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. prune — to trim
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. vault — a safe

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