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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: stock · craft · rock · cue · vault · charge · bat · key

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. charge — a price
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. craft — boats
  6. charge — electricity
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. stock — shares
  10. charge — in control
  11. stock — goods
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. craft — a skill
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bat — the animal
  20. key — in music
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. cue — for pool

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