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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rash — hasty
  4. season — in sport
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — shares
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. squash — to crush
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. craft — boats
  11. season — of the year
  12. rash — a series
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. squash — the sport
  15. band — a music group
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. vault — a safe
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. band — a ring

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