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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. stock — shares
  11. deal — to handle
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. land — to come down
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. key — the most important part
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. land — a country
  21. rest — what's left
  22. land — ground
  23. stock — goods
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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