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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. stock — shares
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. stock — goods
  10. cap — a lid
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pitch — completely
  16. cap — a hat
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. firm — decided
  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