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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. object — a thing
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. object — to protest
  9. file — a tool
  10. vault — a safe
  11. file — a document
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. rest — a break
  17. rock — music
  18. pound — a weight
  19. object — an aim
  20. file — a line of people
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. stock — shares
  24. rest — what's left

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