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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: face · vault · bulb · rule · deal · safe · branch · stock

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — shares
  5. face — to point toward
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. deal — to handle
  8. face — to confront
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. face — part of the head
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. rule — a law
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rule — government
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. deal — an agreement

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