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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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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: last · board · stock · bass · bulb · lean · key · vault

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. last — to go on
  3. vault — a safe
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stock — goods
  7. last — finally
  8. board — to get on
  9. bass — the fish
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stock — shares
  15. lean — thin
  16. bulb — for light
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bulb — for light
  20. key — in music
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. key — for a lock
  23. last — final
  24. board — a committee

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