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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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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: rock · vault · stock · mouse · cell · present · chip · prune

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. rock — a stone
  3. prune — to trim
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. rock — music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cell — in biology
  8. chip — for betting
  9. present — there
  10. stock — goods
  11. prune — to trim
  12. present — the time now
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. cell — a phone
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. vault — a safe
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. chip — to eat
  24. stock — shares

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