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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stock — shares
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bound — certain
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — a line
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. season — of the year
  12. bound — tied together
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bound — obliged
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. cue — a hint
  21. vault — a safe
  22. season — in sport
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cue — for pool

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