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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: craft · vault · land · mouse · mug · stock · calf · chest

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stock — shares
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. chest — a box
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. craft — boats
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. land — ground
  10. vault — a safe
  11. chest — of your body
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — to rob
  14. land — to come down
  15. stock — goods
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — a skill
  20. land — a country
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. mug — a face
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. chest — of your body

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