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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. mine — for digging
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — in music
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. row — a line
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. key — the most important part
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — goods
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. row — to paddle
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. prune — to trim
  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