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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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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: vault · pit · club · suit · race · bank · stand · stock

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bank — of a river
  7. club — for golf
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bank — for money
  11. vault — a safe
  12. stock — shares
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bank — for money
  15. race — humankind
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. race — a contest
  18. stock — goods
  19. club — a group
  20. race — the arms race
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a hole

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