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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. tube — the underground
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stock — shares
  8. lie — to recline
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. tube — a container
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rush — hurry
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. ground — a position
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. ground — crushed
  23. dip — to sink
  24. deal — to handle

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