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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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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: lash · stock · vault · degree · tear · hand · pound · safe

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pound — a weight
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stock — shares
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — to rip
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — temperature
  14. hand — in cards
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. hand — help
  19. degree — from a university
  20. tear — from crying
  21. stock — goods
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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