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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: suit · pound · vault · straw · date · sharp · stock · rock

  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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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. date — the fruit
  5. sharp — clever
  6. pound — a weight
  7. rock — music
  8. stock — goods
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. rock — a stone
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rock — to move gently

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