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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — goods
  4. vault — a safe
  5. band — a ring
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. charge — in control
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. band — a music group
  14. charge — electricity
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. stock — shares
  17. row — to paddle
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. charge — a price
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. row — a line

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