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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
468
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: patient · root · stock · foot · trunk · scale · vault · craft

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. 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. stock — goods
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. root — of a word
  4. craft — a skill
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. vault — a safe
  7. scale — in music
  8. foot — a measure
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. craft — boats
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. root — the cause
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. root — of a plant
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stock — shares
  19. scale — size or range
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. 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