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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  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 — a safe
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stock — shares
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stock — goods
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. chip — to eat
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. cap — a lid
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cap — a hat
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. band — a music group
  18. cap — of ice
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. chip — for betting
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. band — a ring
  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