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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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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: vault · stock · ruler · net · toast · bass · drill · stem

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. net — in sport
  4. stock — goods
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bass — low music
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — the tool
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stock — shares
  18. drill — army training
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. net — for catching
  21. toast — bread
  22. stem — to come from
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bass — the fish

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