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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: safe · craft · vault · season · trunk · lash · nail · stock

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. craft — a skill
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. season — in sport
  8. stock — shares
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. vault — a safe
  11. season — of the year
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. stock — goods
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. lash — to lash out

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