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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: fall · vault · stock · calf · fork · mouse · shower · mate

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. fall — to drop
  6. shower — to wash
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. shower — rain
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — a safe
  14. fall — the season
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stock — goods
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stock — shares
  21. mate — a friend
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. mouse — for a computer

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