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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.

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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: craft · spring · stock · season · vault · fork · calf · pound

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. spring — of water
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. season — in sport
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. stock — goods
  9. craft — boats
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. spring — the season
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — a weight
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. season — of the year
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. spring — a coil
  24. craft — a skill

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