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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: dip · stock · wound · wave · mouse · pop · object · vault

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — soda
  5. vault — a safe
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pop — music
  9. object — a thing
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. stock — shares
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wound — an injury
  22. stock — goods
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — to protest

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