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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
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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 · vault · land · key · present · leaves · shower · cap

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — rain
  5. key — for a lock
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. key — the most important part
  8. present — a gift
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. present — the time now
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. present — there
  13. vault — a safe
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. key — in music
  18. land — ground
  19. land — a country
  20. stock — goods
  21. cap — a hat
  22. stock — shares
  23. shower — to wash
  24. land — to come down

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