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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. stock — goods
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. rash — a series
  7. wound — an injury
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. saw — the tool
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wound — an injury
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rash — hasty
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. vault — a safe
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — shares
  24. safe — a strongbox

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