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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.

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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 asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. spell — a short time
  5. toast — bread
  6. present — there
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. stock — shares
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — a group
  12. track — a song
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. club — for golf
  15. stock — goods
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. spell — letters
  19. present — the time now
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. present — a gift
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. vault — a safe

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