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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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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: ball · squash · object · track · vault · hand · stock · hide

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. object — an aim
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. track — a song
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. hand — help
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. track — to keep track
  11. hand — in cards
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. object — to protest
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. squash — to crush
  16. stock — shares
  17. vault — a safe
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. ball — a great time
  20. track — a path
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. stock — goods
  23. ball — a dance
  24. object — a thing

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