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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: pop · object · clip · vault · mark · perch · trunk · stock

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. object — to protest
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. stock — shares
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stock — goods
  10. vault — a safe
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. pop — to visit
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. clip — for paper
  18. object — a thing
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. clip — to cut
  21. pop — music
  22. clip — a video
  23. object — an aim
  24. pop — soda

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