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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: jam · coach · suit · snap · vault · arm · prune · stock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. suit — to fit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. vault — a safe
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. snap — to click
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. suit — in cards
  21. prune — to trim
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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