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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: fine · vault · bass · rush · stock · arm · pass · trunk

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. stock — goods
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. fine — high quality
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stock — shares
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. fine — all right
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pass — a permit
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. vault — a safe
  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