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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 got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. stock — shares
  4. ball — a dance
  5. present — there
  6. fork — in a road
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. march — the month
  11. present — the time now
  12. vault — a safe
  13. ball — a great time
  14. march — the month
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. stock — goods
  19. march — music
  20. present — a gift
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mark — to pay attention
  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