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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 124 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. stock — shares
  4. key — in music
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. branch — a division
  8. key — for a lock
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. craft — boats
  11. key — the most important part
  12. spring — of water
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. spring — the season
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. vault — a safe
  19. stock — goods
  20. craft — a skill
  21. spring — a coil
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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