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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — goods
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — in music
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. vault — a safe
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. season — of the year
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. season — in sport
  18. kick — in football
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — a list
  24. foot — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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