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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: saw · trunk · dip · present · foot · stock · ball · vault

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stock — goods
  3. dip — to sink
  4. vault — a safe
  5. stock — shares
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. saw — the tool
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. present — there
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. foot — a measure
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — the time now
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ball — a dance
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. foot — part of the body

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