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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: stock · straw · vault · wound · wax · ground · calf · temple

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. stock — goods
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. ground — the earth
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. vault — a safe
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wound — an injury
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. ground — a position
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. stock — shares
  19. ground — crushed
  20. wound — an injury
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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