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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
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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: mug · drill · vault · pit · trunk · perch · stock · field

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. vault — a safe
  3. mug — a cup
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. field — farmland
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pit — in a race
  9. mug — a face
  10. perch — the fish
  11. field — for sport
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — shares
  16. field — a subject
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. drill — the tool
  20. mug — to rob
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pit — a hole
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. drill — army training

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