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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: craft · suit · last · vault · trunk · board · stock · scale

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. scale — in music
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. board — to get on
  6. vault — a safe
  7. suit — clothes
  8. last — to go on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stock — goods
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. last — finally
  16. suit — to fit
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. board — a committee
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stock — shares
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. last — final
  23. craft — a skill
  24. trunk — of a tree

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