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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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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: bark · stock · trunk · squash · present · vault

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. present — the time now
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. present — there
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. squash — to crush
  17. vault — a safe
  18. present — a gift

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