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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.

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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: suit · vault · pitcher · stock · trunk · ground · bound · face

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. face — to confront
  3. bound — certain
  4. ground — the earth
  5. stock — goods
  6. suit — in cards
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bound — tied together
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stock — shares
  16. face — to point toward
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bound — obliged
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — a position

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