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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: fine · stock · pop · vault · present · rule · fan · scale

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. vault — a safe
  3. fine — high quality
  4. scale — size or range
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pop — soda
  7. present — the time now
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. stock — shares
  11. present — a gift
  12. pop — music
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stock — goods
  18. scale — in music
  19. pop — to visit
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — government
  23. present — there
  24. fine — all right

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