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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: land · fine · vault · toast · stock · key · rule · spring

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. land — to come down
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. vault — a safe
  5. key — for a lock
  6. stock — goods
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — bread
  9. land — a country
  10. fine — all right
  11. spring — of water
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rule — a law
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. key — the most important part
  17. spring — the season
  18. key — in music
  19. stock — shares
  20. land — ground
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rule — government
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fine — high quality

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