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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. cap — a hat
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. vault — a safe
  8. track — a song
  9. stock — shares
  10. land — ground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. land — a country
  13. tube — a container
  14. land — to come down
  15. board — to get on
  16. tube — the underground
  17. track — a path
  18. cap — of ice
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cap — a lid
  23. board — a committee
  24. racket — for tennis

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