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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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Word bank
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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. court — of a king
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. firm — decided
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. cell — in biology
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. court — of law
  14. pitch — completely
  15. stock — goods
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. firm — a company
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. court — for sport
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cell — a phone

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