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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's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. charge — a price
  5. hand — help
  6. charge — electricity
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. stock — shares
  12. charge — in control
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. stock — goods
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hand — in cards
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pound — a weight
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rush — to hurry

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