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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: stock · bulb · object · arm · date · last · vault · press

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. date — the fruit
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. object — a thing
  5. last — finally
  6. press — to push
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. bulb — for light
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stock — goods
  15. bulb — for light
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. last — final
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. press — newspapers
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. vault — a safe
  23. stock — shares
  24. press — a publisher

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