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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. stock — goods
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rash — a series
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. prune — to trim
  15. date — the fruit
  16. vault — a safe
  17. roll — a list
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. stock — shares
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. rash — hasty
  24. roll — a cake

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