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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 116 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
468
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: safe · land · vault · fan · stock · fall · chip · mark

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. land — to come down
  3. vault — a safe
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. land — a country
  7. stock — goods
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stock — shares
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mark — a grade
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mark — a trace
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — to eat
  23. fall — to drop
  24. land — ground

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