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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.

Make a worksheet

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: land · can · club · bass · stock · hide · kick · vault

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. club — for golf
  6. stock — shares
  7. bass — low music
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. land — to come down
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. land — a country
  12. bass — the fish
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. can — to be able to
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. land — ground
  19. stock — goods
  20. club — for dancing
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. kick — in football
  24. hide — animal skin

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