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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. rash — hasty
  3. lean — to bend
  4. vault — a safe
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pass — a permit
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stock — shares
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. season — in sport
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. season — of the year
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. lean — thin
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — goods
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rash — a series

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