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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: bear · squash · current · stock · vault · row · roll · fan

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. row — to paddle
  4. squash — to crush
  5. roll — a cake
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — a line
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bear — the animal
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. current — happening now
  20. vault — a safe
  21. roll — a list
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. squash — the sport

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