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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. cap — a hat
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. cap — of ice
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. squash — the sport
  9. stock — shares
  10. squash — to crush
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. stock — goods
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. suit — clothes
  19. fine — high quality
  20. cap — a lid
  21. fine — all right
  22. mine — for digging
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. vault — a safe

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