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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stock · wave · wound · patient · fork · mouse · vault · track

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — in a road
  7. stock — shares
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wound — an injury
  15. stock — goods
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — a safe
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mouse — the animal

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