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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rash — a series
  3. chair — a leader
  4. stock — shares
  5. rock — a stone
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. stock — goods
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rash — hasty
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. vault — a safe
  15. tube — a container
  16. rock — music
  17. perch — the fish
  18. pop — to visit
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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