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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: nail · snap · board · stock · pitcher · fork · file · vault

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. file — a line of people
  3. stock — goods
  4. vault — a safe
  5. file — a document
  6. snap — to click
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. fork — in a road
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stock — shares
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. file — a tool
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. board — a committee

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