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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: chest · branch · stock · trunk · key · vault · wave · mouse

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. key — the most important part
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. chest — a box
  11. chest — of your body
  12. stock — shares
  13. vault — a safe
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. branch — a division
  20. stock — goods
  21. chest — of your body
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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