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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: stock · vault · ball · land · can · bear · mouse · wound

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — shares
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. land — ground
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. can — a tin
  15. ball — a dance
  16. land — to come down
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — a safe
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wound — an injury
  22. can — a tin
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. land — a country

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