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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: stock · coach · bore · vault · mate · craft · bank · bark

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. bore — to tire
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. stock — shares
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. stock — goods
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mate — to breed
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mate — a friend
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. mate — a partner
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bank — of a river
  24. vault — a safe

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