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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: cue · vault · field · stock · staff · squash · stem · fan

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. field — for sport
  3. field — farmland
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. squash — to crush
  7. cue — a signal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. staff — a stick
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. squash — the sport
  13. stem — to come from
  14. field — a subject
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. vault — a safe
  20. cue — a hint
  21. stock — goods
  22. cue — for pool
  23. stock — shares
  24. fan — a supporter

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