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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. court — of law
  4. stand — to bear
  5. court — for sport
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pound — a weight
  8. net — in sport
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. court — of a king
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. staff — a stick
  14. net — for catching
  15. staff — employees
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. staff — employees
  18. net — after costs
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stock — shares
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stock — goods

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