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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: rock · stock · fine · calf · pass · straw · vault · track

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pass — a permit
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. track — to keep track
  15. stock — shares
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stock — goods
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. rock — music
  24. stock — a soup base

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