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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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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: object · stock · dip · vault · bay · wave · rest · face

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stock — goods
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. object — a thing
  10. face — to confront
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. dip — to sink
  16. object — an aim
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rest — a break
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stock — shares
  24. vault — a safe

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