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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. drill — army training
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stock — shares
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. ball — a dance
  11. drill — a practice
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stock — goods
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. vault — a safe
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. wave — with your hand

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