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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rash — a series
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. wax — to grow
  5. spring — a coil
  6. staff — employees
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. staff — a stick
  12. spring — the season
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. vault — a safe
  15. stock — shares
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rash — hasty
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. spring — of water
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. staff — employees

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