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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: field · rule · object · stock · vault · deal · mate · cabinet

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. stock — goods
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rule — government
  7. field — for sport
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rule — a law
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mate — a friend
  16. object — a thing
  17. mate — a partner
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. field — farmland
  20. object — to protest
  21. stock — shares
  22. deal — to handle
  23. vault — a safe
  24. field — a subject

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