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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stock — shares
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. stock — goods
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a document
  7. bank — of a river
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. club — for golf
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. squash — to crush
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. club — a group
  14. pit — a hole
  15. squash — the sport
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. club — for dancing
  18. vault — a safe
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bank — for money
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bank — for money
  24. file — a tool

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