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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 116 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lean — thin
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. spring — the season
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bank — for money
  14. stock — goods
  15. rash — a series
  16. lean — to bend
  17. spring — of water
  18. rash — hasty
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rock — music
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bank — for money
  24. rock — a stone

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