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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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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. vault — a safe
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rash — a series
  5. stock — shares
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — government
  8. shower — to wash
  9. rule — a law
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rash — hasty
  12. shower — rain
  13. suit — clothes
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. suit — in cards
  24. date — the fruit

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