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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stock — shares
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. vault — a safe
  5. squash — to crush
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stand — to bear
  8. can — a tin
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wound — an injury
  11. can — to be able to
  12. stock — goods
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wax — to grow
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. squash — the sport
  22. can — a tin
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stand — on your feet

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