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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. stock — shares
  3. rest — what's left
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. squash — to crush
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — the sport
  14. lean — to bend
  15. stock — goods
  16. pop — soda
  17. band — a ring
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. band — a music group
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. lean — thin
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rest — what's left

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