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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. shower — to wash
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. spring — a coil
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. suit — to fit
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. spring — the season
  11. stock — shares
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. shower — rain
  15. swing — music
  16. suit — in cards
  17. spring — of water
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. rush — hurry
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. vault — a safe
  24. suit — clothes

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