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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: stock · fine · swing · chair · vault · wave · mark · pit

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. fine — high quality
  7. swing — music
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mark — a grade
  12. pit — a hole
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. chair — a leader
  17. swing — to play on
  18. stock — goods
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pit — in a race
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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