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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. key — for a lock
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pit — a hole
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pit — in a race
  9. net — after costs
  10. stock — shares
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. key — the most important part
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — in sport
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. key — in music
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. stock — goods

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