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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: fork · club · rush · vault · stock · trunk · race · fan

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. stock — shares
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for dancing
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. race — a contest
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stock — goods
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. race — the arms race
  15. club — for golf
  16. race — humankind
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rush — to hurry

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