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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: racket · vault · row · leaves · game · deal · firm · stock

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — a company
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. row — to paddle
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. vault — a safe
  12. game — a match
  13. stock — shares
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. row — a line
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. game — wild animals
  21. stock — goods
  22. deal — to handle
  23. firm — steady
  24. stock — a soup base

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