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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. hand — in cards
  3. track — a song
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bank — of a river
  6. hand — help
  7. stock — shares
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. cell — in biology
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. track — a path
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cell — a phone
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. stock — goods

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