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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spell · lie · stock · band · bulb · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. band — a ring
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. spell — magic
  8. stock — goods
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. spell — a short time
  11. vault — a safe
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. spell — letters
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light

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