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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 120 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. vault — a safe
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. stand — to bear
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. row — to paddle
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. squash — to crush
  15. stock — goods
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chip — for betting
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bulb — for light
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. row — a line

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