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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — shares
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. face — to confront
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. craft — a skill
  12. cell — a phone
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. face — part of the head
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. game — wild animals
  17. face — to point toward
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. vault — a safe
  20. cell — in biology
  21. craft — boats
  22. game — a match
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. safe — out of danger

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