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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. march — the month
  3. tear — from crying
  4. stock — goods
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to drill
  8. march — music
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. mark — a grade
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mark — a trace
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. shower — rain
  15. vault — a safe
  16. tear — from crying
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. march — the month
  19. shower — to wash
  20. tear — to rip
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bore — to tire
  24. stock — shares

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