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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. lean — thin
  4. vault — a safe
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. scale — in music
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bank — for money
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. capital — a city
  14. bank — of a river
  15. fork — in a road
  16. capital — money
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. scale — size or range
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. scale — for weighing

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