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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: wound · safe · chair · tube · ball · vault · lash · stock

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — goods
  4. vault — a safe
  5. ball — a dance
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. tube — a container
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. tube — the underground
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. wound — an injury
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. wound — an injury
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. ball — a great time
  22. chair — a leader
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. tube — in a tire

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