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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.

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: stock · rock · mark · rash · prune · fine · vault · bark

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rock — music
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bark — to shout
  18. rash — a series
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. vault — a safe
  21. stock — shares
  22. fine — all right
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. stock — goods

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