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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: hand · stock · prune · vault · nail · chip · rest · hide

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. stock — goods
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. hand — in cards
  6. vault — a safe
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. rest — what's left
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chip — to eat
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. prune — to trim
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rest — a break
  18. stock — shares
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. hand — help
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. prune — to trim
  24. hand — part of the body

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