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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. stock — goods
  3. bore — to drill
  4. staff — employees
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pit — a hole
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cap — a lid
  19. staff — employees
  20. bore — to tire
  21. track — to keep track
  22. staff — a stick
  23. track — a song
  24. cap — a hat

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