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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.

Words on the sheet
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: land · nail · vault · ruler · bowl · stock · patient · trunk

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stock — shares
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. land — ground
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. land — a country
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. land — to come down
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stock — goods
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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