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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bank — for money
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bank — for money
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pop — music
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pop — to visit
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fall — to drop
  13. cap — of ice
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — a position
  16. stock — shares
  17. fall — to drop
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fall — the season
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pop — soda
  24. fan — a supporter

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