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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: stock · hide · mouse · vault · bore · fork · last · stem

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. last — finally
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bore — to tire
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — shares
  9. bore — to drill
  10. fork — in a road
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. stock — goods
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. last — final
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — to come from

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