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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: suit · vault · bore · mate · stock · roll · present · rest

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. roll — a list
  3. rest — what's left
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rest — a break
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. mate — a partner
  10. stock — shares
  11. present — a gift
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bore — to tire
  14. vault — a safe
  15. present — the time now
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. mate — to breed
  18. roll — a cake
  19. mate — a friend
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stock — goods
  22. suit — clothes
  23. present — there
  24. bore — gave birth

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