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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rest · mark · vault · stock · fan · roll · nail · perch

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. rest — what's left
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rest — what's left
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rest — a break
  11. roll — a list
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. perch — the fish
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stock — goods
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. stock — shares
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. vault — a safe
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. perch — for a bird

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