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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 120 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: mouse · squash · mate · vault · fall · content · stock · suit

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. stock — goods
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — to drop
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. squash — to crush
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. stock — shares
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. fall — the season
  18. content — happy
  19. mate — a friend
  20. vault — a safe
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stock — a soup base

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