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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 116 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fall — the season
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stock — goods
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — shares
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bank — for money
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bank — for money
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. fall — to drop
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fork — in a road
  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