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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 120 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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mug — to rob
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mug — a face
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — a position
  14. stock — goods
  15. bank — for money
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. tube — the underground
  18. stock — shares
  19. perch — the fish
  20. mug — a cup
  21. tube — a container
  22. ground — crushed
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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