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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bank — for money
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stock — shares
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stock — goods
  9. bank — of a river
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bank — for money
  21. wax — to grow
  22. ground — a position
  23. vault — a safe
  24. fine — all right

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