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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. pop — to visit
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pop — music
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. mark — a trace
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. row — a line
  10. stock — shares
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. row — to paddle
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. last — to go on
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stock — goods
  19. last — final
  20. pop — soda
  21. last — finally
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pass — a permit
  24. safe — a strongbox

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