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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: nail · spring · board · pop · vault · mug · bulb · stock

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bulb — for light
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mug — a cup
  5. stock — shares
  6. mug — a face
  7. pop — music
  8. stock — goods
  9. spring — of water
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. board — a committee
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pop — to visit
  15. vault — a safe
  16. spring — the season
  17. spring — a coil
  18. pop — soda
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mug — to rob
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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