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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: hide · toast · vault · roll · stock · racket · fork · rush

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. roll — a list
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. fork — in a road
  15. vault — a safe
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. roll — a cake
  22. rush — hurry
  23. toast — bread
  24. stock — goods

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