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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: date · vault · straw · mouse · stock · suit · coach · lie

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. suit — in cards
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. stock — shares
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. date — the fruit
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lie — to recline
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. suit — clothes

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