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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 · net · hide · perch · nail · content · vault · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stock — shares
  4. net — for catching
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. content — the amount
  8. vault — a safe
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — happy
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. net — in sport
  17. rush — hurry
  18. net — after costs
  19. stock — goods
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. perch — the fish
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. nail — on a finger

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