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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. march — the month
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. march — the month
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stock — goods
  13. mug — a cup
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mate — a friend
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stock — shares
  19. saw — the tool
  20. march — music
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. mate — a partner
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mate — to breed

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