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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: trunk · fork · safe · stock · pitch · vault · game · stem

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. vault — a safe
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pitch — completely
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. game — a match
  15. stock — goods
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stock — shares
  18. game — wild animals
  19. fork — in a road
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. trunk — of a tree

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