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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: root · fork · stock · vault · bulb · trunk · snap · nail

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. root — of a word
  3. bulb — for light
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. vault — a safe
  18. root — the cause
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. snap — to click
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bulb — of a plant

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