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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: dip · deal · fine · vault · saw · ball · chest · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. chest — of your body
  5. stock — shares
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. ball — a dance
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. ball — a great time
  10. saw — the tool
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fine — all right
  13. vault — a safe
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — to sink
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. fine — high quality
  21. deal — to handle
  22. chest — of your body
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chest — a box

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