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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.

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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: cell · stick · calf · prune · wound · stock · cue · vault

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stock — shares
  4. prune — to trim
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. prune — to trim
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stock — goods
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. wound — an injury
  12. cue — a signal
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. wound — an injury
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cell — in biology
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cell — a phone
  22. vault — a safe
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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