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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
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: leaves · vault · trunk · cell · field · bulb · calf · stock

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. stock — shares
  4. vault — a safe
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. cell — in biology
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. stock — goods
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bulb — for light
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. field — for sport
  17. field — farmland
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. field — a subject
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cell — a phone

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