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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: mark · suit · cap · vault · object · leaves · court · stock

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. stock — goods
  3. court — of a king
  4. object — to protest
  5. cap — a hat
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. court — of law
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mark — a grade
  14. object — an aim
  15. vault — a safe
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stock — shares
  18. court — for sport
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mark — a trace
  21. cap — of ice
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. cap — a lid

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