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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
468
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: stock · ball · stand · pound · hide · vault · suit · net

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. vault — a safe
  3. net — for catching
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stand — to bear
  9. net — in sport
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. ball — a great time
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. net — after costs
  15. pound — a weight
  16. stock — goods
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. stock — shares
  24. suit — to fit

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