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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. chest — a box
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. tube — the underground
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. vault — a safe
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stand — to bear
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. tube — a container
  17. stock — goods
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. chest — of your body
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stock — shares
  23. chest — of your body
  24. mark — a grade

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