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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 · jam · row · bear · root · tube · vault · ruler

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. row — to paddle
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. stock — goods
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. vault — a safe
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bear — the animal
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. tube — the underground
  20. row — a line
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. ruler — a monarch

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