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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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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. kick — in football
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pop — soda
  9. kid — child
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. pop — music
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. vault — a safe
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. stock — shares
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pop — to visit
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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