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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: squash · trunk · vault · lie · firm · object · pitch · stock

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. squash — to crush
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — goods
  8. pitch — completely
  9. lie — to recline
  10. object — a thing
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. firm — steady
  14. object — to protest
  15. firm — a company
  16. object — an aim
  17. squash — the sport
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. vault — a safe
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. firm — decided

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