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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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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: rock · suit · prune · stock · scale · bay · vault · snap

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. stock — goods
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rock — a stone
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. prune — to trim
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. prune — to trim
  12. vault — a safe
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rock — music
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. scale — size or range
  21. stock — shares
  22. snap — to click
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. scale — in music

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