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

Word bank: fine · board · bulb · vault · foot · stock

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. stock — shares
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. board — to get on
  5. fine — high quality
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bulb — for light
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. vault — a safe
  12. fine — all right
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. foot — a measure
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. board — a committee
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. stock — goods

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