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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: lean · stock · mug · ball · ruler · lash · vault · prune

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. mug — to rob
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. stock — goods
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. vault — a safe
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mug — a face
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lean — thin
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mug — a cup
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. lean — to bend

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