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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 124 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. swing — music
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. can — a tin
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. swing — in golf
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. stock — goods
  13. wind — moving air
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wind — moving air
  16. vault — a safe
  17. swing — to play on
  18. file — a document
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. can — to be able to
  22. stock — shares
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. can — a tin

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