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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 116 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
468
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: vault · tube · leaves · racket · chip · degree · nail · stock

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. degree — temperature
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. stock — shares
  6. tube — the underground
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. degree — from a university
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — a safe
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. chip — for betting
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. chip — to eat
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. tube — a container
  22. degree — an amount
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — a soup base

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