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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: spell · fine · wind · vault · stock · cap · pitch · wave

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. cap — a lid
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wind — moving air
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. spell — letters
  7. fine — all right
  8. spell — a short time
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. stock — shares
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cap — a hat
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stock — goods
  18. cap — of ice
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. pitch — completely
  21. wind — moving air
  22. vault — a safe
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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