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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stock — goods
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. field — for sport
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bass — the fish
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bound — certain
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. field — farmland
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bass — low music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. field — a subject
  24. bark — to shout

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