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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
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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: cold · stick · suit · vault · ground · spell · stock · fine

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fine — all right
  6. ground — a position
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — shares
  9. suit — in cards
  10. cold — an illness
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. spell — a short time
  16. fine — high quality
  17. cold — not warm
  18. spell — magic
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. vault — a safe
  21. suit — clothes
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. stock — goods
  24. spell — letters

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