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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. stock — goods
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stem — to come from
  8. vault — a safe
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bass — low music
  11. present — a gift
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. present — the time now
  14. stock — shares
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bass — the fish
  20. present — there
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. stock — a soup base

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