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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 · hand · spring · firm · stock · cabinet · rock · mark

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. mark — a grade
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. spring — of water
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. spring — a coil
  10. rock — a stone
  11. firm — steady
  12. spring — the season
  13. rock — music
  14. stock — shares
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. vault — a safe
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mark — a trace
  19. stock — goods
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. firm — a company
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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