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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: craft · vault · calf · ground · face · fan · stock · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  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. squash — to crush
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stock — shares
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. craft — boats
  9. face — part of the head
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stock — goods
  19. ground — a position
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. squash — the sport
  23. calf — a young animal
  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