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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. vault — a safe
  11. key — in music
  12. cap — of ice
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. key — the most important part
  15. cap — a lid
  16. key — for a lock
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. cap — a hat
  22. stock — shares
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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