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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: bore · vault · saw · staff · trunk · cap · fan · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — shares
  3. staff — employees
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. cap — of ice
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bore — to tire
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. vault — a safe
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cap — a lid
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. cap — a hat
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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