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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. mine — for digging
  10. stock — goods
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. stock — shares
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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