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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: vault · bass · mate · chip · wake · stock · trunk · bulb

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  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. chip — for betting
  2. bulb — for light
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. vault — a safe
  12. stock — goods
  13. mate — a partner
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mate — to breed
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. stock — shares
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bass — low music
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bass — the instrument
  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