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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. stock — shares
  3. season — of the year
  4. stock — goods
  5. chair — a leader
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. vault — a safe
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — steady
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. firm — decided
  18. content — happy
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. content — the amount
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. season — in sport
  24. stock — a soup base

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