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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 116 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: suit · vault · pitcher · stock · trunk · ground

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. vault — a safe
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ground — crushed
  7. stock — shares
  8. suit — to fit
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. ground — the earth
  11. suit — clothes
  12. ground — a position
  13. suit — in cards
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. trunk — of a tree

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