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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. cue — for pool
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. ground — the earth
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. fall — the season
  8. cue — a signal
  9. row — to paddle
  10. cue — a hint
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — a position
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. row — a line
  18. stock — shares
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — a safe
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fall — to drop

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