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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 116 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. club — for golf
  3. vault — a safe
  4. season — of the year
  5. stock — goods
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. club — for dancing
  9. season — in sport
  10. drill — army training
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. drill — a practice
  14. stock — shares
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. club — a group
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. cabinet — ministers

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