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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: root · date · stock · wake · bank · jam · vault · tube

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. root — the cause
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bank — for money
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. tube — a container
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stock — shares
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. root — of a word
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — a trail
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. root — of a plant
  24. stock — goods

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