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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. vault — a safe
  8. cell — a phone
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — high quality
  11. cell — in biology
  12. fine — all right
  13. bass — the fish
  14. squash — the sport
  15. scale — in music
  16. charge — electricity
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. squash — to crush
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. scale — size or range
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. bass — low music

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