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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 124 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. vault — a safe
  3. game — a match
  4. stock — goods
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fine — all right
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pitch — completely
  15. mark — a trace
  16. game — wild animals
  17. pass — a permit
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. fine — high quality
  24. game — a kind of play

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