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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: vault · stock · charge · deal · plane · date · spring · cap

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. charge — in control
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. stock — shares
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cap — a hat
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. plane — a tool
  13. charge — a price
  14. deal — to handle
  15. stock — goods
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. date — the fruit
  18. spring — the season
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. spring — a coil
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. spring — of water
  24. stock — a soup base

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