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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: jam · rock · stock · stem · face · mouse · vault · track

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. stock — shares
  4. track — a path
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. vault — a safe
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stock — goods
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. face — to confront
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rock — music
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stem — to come from
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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