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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 116 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: fork · stock · squash · stand · can · wound · prune · vault

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  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. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. wound — an injury
  6. fork — in a road
  7. squash — the sport
  8. stand — to bear
  9. prune — to trim
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. can — a tin
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stock — shares
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. squash — to crush
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  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