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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: hide · face · present · vault · racket · stock · charge · stick

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. charge — electricity
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. present — there
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. face — to confront
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. face — to point toward
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stock — goods
  12. present — the time now
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. charge — in control
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. present — a gift
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. face — part of the head
  21. charge — a price
  22. stock — shares
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. hide — animal skin

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