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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: saw · pound · tube · ground · stock · vault · board · sharp

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. ground — the earth
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pound — a weight
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. board — to get on
  13. ground — crushed
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. vault — a safe
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ground — a position
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. stock — goods
  21. board — a committee
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — in a tire

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