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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: swing · tear · bore · vault · spell · cue · wound · stock

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bore — to drill
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. swing — in golf
  7. cue — a hint
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. wound — an injury
  11. tear — from crying
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — goods
  15. swing — to play on
  16. cue — for pool
  17. tear — to rip
  18. spell — letters
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bore — to tire
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. spell — magic
  23. vault — a safe
  24. spell — a short time

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