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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stock — goods
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. craft — boats
  9. board — a committee
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. prune — to trim
  13. rule — government
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rule — a law
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. current — of water
  20. craft — a skill
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. board — to get on
  23. stock — shares
  24. craft — a handicraft

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