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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.

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: dip · fine · stock · lie · vault · foot · race · fan

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stock — shares
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. fine — all right
  15. race — humankind
  16. dip — to sink
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. fine — high quality
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. stock — goods

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