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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. spring — of water
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rash — a series
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cap — a lid
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. spring — the season
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stock — goods
  19. spring — a coil
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. vault — a safe
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — hasty

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