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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. stock — shares
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. saw — the tool
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. last — to go on
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. last — final
  21. last — finally
  22. saw — the tool
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bulb — for light

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