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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stock — goods
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. field — for sport
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bulb — for light
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. suit — to fit
  15. field — a subject
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. suit — in cards
  19. vault — a safe
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stock — shares
  22. field — farmland
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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